Through the Looking Glass
by A Diamond in the Rough
Summary: or the shower drain to be more honest. Annia so did not drop into Middle Earth. She so did not go on the Quest. (evil grin, don't be too sure about that.) But she has visions of the troubles of true lovers, and doesn't know that she has a son, who suffered the worst fate imaginable... Please read and review. NOW FINISHED, Sequel called, 'The Song of Estelin,' and will be up soon.
1. Down the Drain

Hey everyone! This is A Diamond in the Rough! And please bear with me...I have a strong feeling that tomorrow I am going to get engaged. Wish me luck reviewers! I thought my heart was broken...but I found I can love again.

Forgive me please forgive me. I am not thinking straight right now. I'm sort of thrilled to the fingertips, you know what I mean. And tomorrow I will tell you what happens ... :) I hope. I hope I hope I hope. I am writing another Legolas romance fic because I love legolas and I'm in love, so that makes sense. And if you read "Nathalie" I'm sorry...no French. Annia does not speak French.

* * *

Annia River hummed happily in the shower as she washed her long black hair. It was think but quite easy to manage.

"_I am a daughter of the fire, of the rain, _

_I am a child of hope, of love, of pain,_

_I belong on these soils, I belong on this Earth, _

_My soul has wept and screamed with mirth. _

_I am a maiden of the sky, _

_For stars and suns within me lie. _

_The heavens are my roof, the trees my shade, _

_I am a lover of this world; for that I was made."_

_(A/N: yes i made that up, I'm rolling off poetry and resisting the strong urge that says to chat online with my soon-to-be fiance and say, 'Well, I saw you buying the ring, which is why my status says On The Top Of This World. Anyone for it? Yes? No? Ah well, I'll go on.)_

When she finished with her hair, she lathered herself all over and then rinsed herself off. She turned off the faucet and then reached for her bathrobe, wrapping it around herself and then stepping out of the shower. As she was about to leave the bathroom, she heard a strange sound in the drain-a very high-pitched sound.

Annia frowned.

Stepping back into the shower, she peered into the drain.

She definitely did not expect it to open and or herself to fall down it.

Nobody heard her scream.


	2. Newfound Power

HI guys! I'm back again! And yes, I am engaged. *wipes glad tears off laptop* Oh my god! WOW! I'm sorry, I sound like a complete moron, don't I? And this Legomance is going to take some time to develop. So don't worry. Please wish me luck! I'm extremely happy, and a little nervous. I don't know why, my mom immediately started up about 'wedding jitters' and I refused to be classed with the masses of brides. I admit it, even though we've agreed that the engagement should be at least a year long, I'm already visualizing my own wedding. I have been calling all my friends about the news since an ungodly hour this morning and I may have already lost my maid of honor that way...XD If you're reading this, Esmeraude, I'm sorry about that, please be my maid of honor :( Hey, he showed up at five this morning! I'm sorry that at five thirty I was shrieking in your ear about the news.

* * *

Annia screamed at the top of her lungs. She'd heard some stories about people falling down drains. Though admittedly she had never really paid attention to them.

Though the moment she had entered it, it did not feel like a drain at all-more like a very smooth slide. She held her breath. She had no idea why she was still falling, or falling straight down for that matter. After a few minutes of agonized wondering where she was going to end up, Annia perceived that there was a light at the end of a tunnel.

_It's the light that they talk about on ghost shows, _thought Annia frantically. _Oh, my God, please don't let me die, I don't want to die-_

THUMP.

"Ow." she said aloud. She discovered that she had a body, she had a voice. Annia looked around. It was most definitely some kind of wood. She ticked off the forests she knew that it most definitely could not be. "Can't be the Amazon. Nope, can't be Muir Woods either."

That seemed to help. Then she sighed. _There are an infinite number of places it can't be; this is not helping. _

Her ears caught a faint crackling, and her eyes a light. A fire. A small one, obviously built by someone in the woods. She wondered whether she ought to approach it or not and decided to. She went towards it, and then became aware of something sharp pressing into her back.

SHIFT TO ANNIA POV

"Do not move," came a voice. It was a rough voice, yet it seemed to be kind underneath.

"Please don't kill me," I said. I was at once turned around and stared at.

"A human girl, traveling alone?" This man was starting to remind me of someone in the Lord of the Rings.

"Um. Yes. I have nowhere to go and do not know where I am."

"How did you get here?"

"I fell down a hole."

The Aragorn-lookalike looked up.

"I don't see a hole."

I looked up too. "Neither do I," I remarked acidly.

He sighed. "Go warm yourself by the fire. I am on serious business; I do not know if you can travel with us."

I went to the fire thankfully. And that was when I saw the hobbits.

I knew right away which was which, although Pippin looked a lot more boyish than he looked in the movies. But what caught my eye was Frodo, lying ale and still close by the fire with Sam holding his hand.

"Oh, my God." I said, sinking on my knees beside him. "The Morgul-blade."

Aragorn turned to me at once. "And how would you know of that?"

"Save it for the council, Aragorn. Strider, I mean. I will tell all there, but I cannot do it here."

I was at once beset by a strange feeling in my arms, as if I was filling with light. This was, of course, only a bizzare dream. I could do whatever I wanted in dreams, so I was going to heal Frodo.

I reached for the wound as quick as lightning. Sam looked up and cried out, "Don't!" I ignored him and placed my hand on the wound. Frodo moaned in his sleep.

_Let the knife-fragment and the pain be gone._

At once I felt something sharp cutting into my hand and found in terror that it was cutting its way through my left arm. I could see nothing, but it pained me a great deal. I felt it coming up, until it lodged itself slightly below my collarbone.

And that was when the world went black.


	3. Eavesdropping Wizards

The next thing I was aware of was lying on a horse, and hearing many anxious voices. They sounded echo-ish, and I could kind of hear this constant whispering. Which frightened me, to say the very least. My arm was numb and so was my chest, which relieved me; I could only think of the degree of pain I would be without the numbness.

"Do you think she is going to die?" That was Pippin.

"I still don't understand how she could have done it." I think that was Frodo. "How could she have taken my wound upon herself?"

"Her hand's even colder than yours was, Mr. Frodo," said Sam sadly.

"How did you meet her, Strider?"

"She was in the woods." Aragorn paused. "I did not know that mortals were capable of healing in such a way."

"She will be all right, though, won't she?"

"I cannot say. Humans are definitely the weakest of the four great races, and she appears to be little more than a child herself. She looks to be much younger than you even, Pippin."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...my head," I groaned. Realizing that it hurt. Really badly.

"You're awake!" I looked down to see Frodo. "How do you feel, my lady?"

"Like I have just been mowed down by a mad horse." I turned slightly to face him. "Is that how you felt when you had the wound?"

Then Aragorn came into view. "It is four days until Rivendell. Do you think you can hold out?"

"To be honest..." A lot of pain was starting to make its presence known in my arm. "No." I said truthfully. My old operation scar was throbbing. I'd had appendicitis and the incision had hurt after the surgery, but nothing to compare to what it felt like now. Every surface of my body, minus my head because I had a headache IN my head and not on it, felt terrible.

"What is your name?" asked Pippin from my other side.

"Annia. Annia River." I said, raising my hand from my side and placing it over where, I knew, the Morgul-blade piece was cutting ever deeper into me.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"Edoras," I said instantly.

"PIPPIN! Don't make her talk, for the love of Valar. She needs all the strength she has."

* * *

I can probably say that after a day or so, I slipped into a kind of haze full of mist and shadow. I only dimly felt it when I was put onto a different horse, and whoever was behind me was urging the horse on like the wind. It was probably Arwen, I thought. I heard her speaking to me and calling my name as we went, but I could say nothing. My lips felt as if they were no longer able to move. _  
_

When the Wraiths began to chase us I could feel her fear. And my own.

Oh, definitely my own.

* * *

When we reached the river, I looked at the wraiths on the bank. They were calling me. But they were calling me by Frodo's name. How didn't they know that I did not have the ring? That was strange.

* * *

Elrond POV

"Jen, please, five more minutes," pleaded the girl, in her sleep. "I was up so late with that crazy essay yesterday. Please, just five more minutes."

I turned my eyes to Aragorn. "Where did she say she is from?"

"Edoras, though I doubt it. Her speech is not of this land and she has already said much I have never heard of."

"How did she draw the Morgul-blade from Frodo to herself?"

"I don't know," admitted Aragorn. "It irks me. It was merely seconds after I found her that she did this."

"I see," I said. Then I saw that the girl was beginning to get up.

"No, no, lie back down," said the elf who had been helping me, Legolas, the young Prince of Mirkwood.

"More dreams," said Annia, lying back and frowning up at the ceiling. "I wish I'd died. Then I would have woken."

"You nearly did, child," said Gandalf from the corner. "What did you do?"

"Well, I thought I was dreaming. I shouldn't be here."

"To wish for death is a serious thing," said Legolas, knitting his brows together. "Why do you?"

"Because in dreams if you die you wake. Everyone knows it." Annia gave Legolas a strange annoyed look.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her. She looked at me. "Cured."

"Good."

"Can I see the hobbits?" she asked instantly. "And...I want some food." She went pink.

Legolas went out to bring the hobbits and food. I went out to find Arwen.

* * *

Annia POV

They had put me in an embroidered white nightgown. My old bathrobe was hanging over a chair; and presently I was brought a good breakfast; apples, milk, crusty bread and a pat of butter. I thanked the young elf who had brought it for me, and then waited for the hobbits to arrive. Sure enough, they did. Frodo still looked slightly guilty.

"How are you, Lady Annia?" asked Frodo. "I cannot tell you how grateful I am. But you should not have done it. Hobbits are stronger than Men, and you could have died."

"Better me than you," I said with a faint chuckle, beginning on my food.

"Why?"

"Because you have the you-know-what." I said.

Everybody's jaws dropped. I swear you could almost hear them hitting the floor. I laughed. "Calm down. No one else knows." Which wasn't exactly true of course. Billions of people did, but I wasn't about to talk about that. I was from Edoras. I wanted to keep up that impression.

"So..." said Legolas from beside me, "what else do you know?"

"That will be saved for the council."

"SHE KNOWS THERE'S GOING TO BE A COUNCIL?" I could hear jaws hitting floors again.

I decided to keep my mouth shut. Until of course I betrayed myself when the hobbits got me to talk about 'my country.'

* * *

"So, what's your homeland like?" said Merry. Gandalf was sitting in the room, but somehow I didn't see him then. I didn't know he could make himself invisible.

"It is beautiful. Not as beautiful as this, but it is truly lovely there." (A/N: Talking about California. Got my friend who moved there to tell me about it, hehe.)

"What things can you do there?" asked Sam.

"Well, there's one thing I'm really fond of," I said. "That is...wave-riding."

"What's that?"

"Well...we wear clothes that cling against us and then we get a sort of a board." I said. "Then we paddle out into the sea and wait to be taken on top of the great waves. Sometimes, we can't go over them and when that happens the waves crash down over us. But when you stand atop the wave, on that board, you feel like the world is yours." I laughed in some embarrassment. "It is my favorite thing to do. Though I've been nearly killed many times and once I was attacked by a shark." (A/n: Yes she was attacked by a shark.)

"A shark? What's a shark?"

"Well, it's a type of very large fish that can be quite fierce when it wants to," I said. "We have a story about a terrible one which preyed upon people and wouldn't leave a certain town alone, but kept on eating its people."

"That's terrible. Why do you wave-ride then?"

"Because it's amusing."

"Putting your life in jeopardy is amusing?" asked someone who had just stuck his head into the door.

"Oh, hello, Lord Elrond. I'll be quiet now."

"NO! Please, Annia, talk some more." begged Frodo, quite as captivated as the others. Elrond smiled and backed out, and I went on after I heard his footsteps go away down the hall.

"Another thing I love is hang gliding."

"What is that?"

"Where I come from we have learned how to fly. I have done it, many times. I love it, too. It's dangerous. Most things are. But sometimes you just need to take in the beauty and understand that it's better to live one moment of joy than a hundred of fear."

"You don't come from Rohan, do you?" said Merry. "You said you did, but you don't."

I looked around. "All right, I don't. I come from a city called Anaheim, in the state California, in the country the United States of America, and the continent North America."

"So what you're saying is that you are not from middle-earth." said Sam.

"I am from Earth, not Middle-Earth." I gave a sad smile. "In my world, everyone knows about this one. Its people. Its history. Even the legends, like Beren and Luthien of the elves. The Valar. The Istari. We all know about them...but they do not know Middle-Earth exists. They think it to be a legend. I think no one from my world has ever come here."

"Aha," came a voice from the corner. I looked around. "So I thought."

I was in dismay. Gandalf had been sitting there all along.


	4. Annia Burns Legolas

The council-Legolas POV

* * *

I was sitting in the council.

I believe that is all I must say. Currently, everyone except myself, the human child, Gandalf, Aragorn, and the hobbits were in a brawl. I was sitting leaning my head on my hand; the hobbits looked excited and Frodo worried; Aragorn looked merely exasperated, as did Gandalf.

The human girl was looking at Frodo, as if she knew something. Now and then, her hand would go to the place where we had found the piece of the Morgul-blade. Her frow was furrowed, and she looked as though she were meditating on a decision.

At once she started up. "SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!"

Everyone shut up, as she termed it. What a strange expression, I thought.

"For heaven's sake! Grown men and elves and dwarves acting like children!" She looked disgusted. "I believe it is my time to speak. Please sit."

Everyone sat. I grinned. There was an air of command about her. I remembered what Elrond had said about her riding waves on the sea. I should like to try that, I thought. I had seen the sea to the Havens when I bid my mother farewell; there were no rough waves there, however.

"First of all-"

"And why should we listen to you, lass?" This was from a black-haired elf. It appeared Elrond was about to go to Annia's aid, but she shot a glance at him and then spoke.

"Because I know the future of all of you," she said calmly. "And I know what is to become of the ring. I know whether Middle-Earth will be saved. I know who will take the Ring to Mordor."

"Go on, then," said the elf, dropping back into his seat, slightly pink.

"First of all, I come from a different world. I was not born in Middle-Earth. I have only arrived here a few days ago. The people of my world, Earth, know everything there is to know about this one. I know the year of your births, who has died, who will come to be. And I know who is meant to carry the ring to Mordor."

Her eyes rested sadly on Frodo, as if she knew what was going to happen to him.

"I am," said Frodo. "Yes, I know."

"I'm sorry," said Annia. "I know it, too."

One by one, we came forth and joined them; I, Aragorn, Gandalf, the hobbits, the dwarf Gimli, and Boromir of Gondor.

"You shall be nine," said Elrond. "The Fellowship of the Ring."

The girl's eyes seemed to hold something. At once she burst out. "And I offer my knowledge of what is to come. I offer my knowledge of what will and should be, and myself to aid you against what should not."

"Ten companions, then," said Elrond.

"WONDERFUL!" cried the two younger hobbits. The smaller one chirped out, "Where are we going?"

The girl laughed and ruffled his hair. "You'll see." At once a strange look crossed her face and she murmured, "Excuse me," and rushed from the room.

The meeting hurriedly broke up after that.

* * *

STILL legolas pov, hahaha

* * *

After the meeting was dismissed, I followed the sound of footsteps to the door of the girl, where I remained in the shadows. She was pacing around and round. "Crebain from Dunland. Pass of Caradhras. Mines of Moria. Gandalf falls fighting the Balrog. They reach Lorien; oh, what happens next?" Annia put her fingers to her forehead. "Oh, God help me, I cannot remember what happens after that!"

She threw herself onto her bed, lying on her stomach. "Gollum follows them down the river...Boromir and the orcs...Merry and Pippin and the orcs...Gandalf returns...Legolas and Aragorn and Gimli in Rohan...Merry and Pippin meet Treebeard...Helm's Deep. Oh, goodness! I don't know when Frodo and Sam's part happens at all-why didn't I read all the appendices? Why did Tolkien write them all separately? Oh, dear, I just hope I've remembered it in the right order."

Annia paused and then sighed. "And where exactly do I come into all of this? If I die, I'll probably just wake up at home. After the Fellowship breaks, which path do I follow? Which of the three?"

For a moment I thought she saw me; I flattened myself against the wall outside.

"This is insane," she said. I heard bitterness in her voice. "This is so mad. I've been stupid."

"Stupid? How so?" I clapped my hands over my mouth, but the damage was done. The girl heard me at once, and said, before seeing me, "Legolas."

I came into view, feeling rather as I had done when I was a child and my father had scolded me for falling over my balcony and straight onto a feast table. I had been spying and he had told me to not even dare to.

"How much did you hear?" She seemed resigned.

"All of it, Lady Annia."

"Come in," she said, sighing. I followed her hesitantly. She sat at the foot of her bed and I stood in the doorway.

"I swear to you I will not breathe a word I heard." I said.

"Meddling with time is dangerous. This has all happened before. Don't try to change history. So you had better not say anything, or I might just change your future."

"And how would you do that?"

"I could get you killed." The tones were flat. My eyebrows shot up and stayed that way; I had to pull them down again with my hands.

"You...get me killed." I said.

"Yes. I could. I know what to prevent from happening. If I was working for Sauron, Middle-Earth would have no chance."

"But you would not," I reminded her. "You took a piece of Morgul steel into your own body for the sake of Frodo. And you knew it was there. Aragorn did not. Neither did Frodo himself."

"Do not assume, Legolas," she said, eyes glittering dangerously. "You are not infallible, though you are an elf. It was neither mannerful-nor safe to spy on me."

"Why was it not safe?" I was beginning to be amused.

"Because of this," Before I knew what was happening, she had thrown something from each hand at me. Each sword pinned itself less than an inch from my neck. I stepped forward and away from them. "I might have taken you for a spy, if I did not know you."

"But you don't," I pointed out.

"That's the point." She closed her eyes briefly and I realized the wound was still paining her. "I do. I know you. I have known you since I was a child."

"That makes no sense."

She laughed. "It doesn't. My existence here makes no sense."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty," said Annia. "I am already starting to miss home."

"So do I," I said. Then I turned away. "I will see you when we leave, Lady Annia."

"Remember-not a word," she warned. "Or I will not hesitate to kill you. It would change history less."

"Kill someone you have known for years?" I laughed.

"But I've never seen you before the day I arrived here," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I doubt I know the real Legolas. So you should watch your back, for some time at least." Her eyes were hard.

"Watch my back?" I was bemused. "You mean, stand in front of a mirror, so I can see what is behind me? Are you planning an attack to keep me silent?"

"Perhaps." A smile quirked her lips. "You should go now."

"I will, certainly," I fled the room. The girl disconcerted me.


	5. Caradhras

Annia POV

* * *

Legolas had heard it all.

Oh. My. God.

NOW WHAT?

I glared at the door where he had gone. Then I decided to forget about him telling anybody else for the present. Elves were honorable folk and did keep their word...and if it seemed like he would not, I could merely pull off another stunt. I was terribly thankful I did not mention anything about Frodo or whether or not the ring had been destroyed. I was terribly glad his mouth had said "Stupid? How so?" before I could say anything else. Sighing, I crossed to my window and peered down, leaning my elbows on the sill.

Rivendell was beautiful.

I sighed, feeling the peace of the place sinking into my limbs. Right now, all I had to worry about was the stupid Elf, and perhaps learning how to use a bow and arrow. I had taken fencing lessons ever since I was a child; I was hoping to go to the Olympics in fencing some day. Something told me the swords of Middle-Earth would definitely be longer, sharper, and heavier than the fencing swords that I was used to, but the concepts would be the same after I had just learned to deal properly with the weight. Perhaps it would all work out in the end. Something was nagging me about Boromir. After my words to Legolas about not changing history, I knew that Boromir's death was going to come. After all, how many times had I watched him dying while he fought the orcs and cried over it? How could I stand by and watch him die and know all the time that I could have saved him? I couldn't. I knew I couldn't.

I heard a hesitant knock on my door.

"If that is you, Legolas, please leave. I have a habit of talking to myself and I do not want you to know more than you already do."

"It isn't Legolas, it's Pip, my Lady." I turned and smiled, seeing Pippin there.

"What happened? Why aren't you at lunch?" I asked, walking away from the window and sitting on my bed.

"Because you weren't," said Pippin quietly. "I thought something had happened and Merry and I decided to being our food here and share it with you." He stuck his head back out the door and called out. "It's all right, Merry. Come on! How long you do take."

"It's not easy carrying two trays at once," I heard Merry's voice puffing. "And I don't trust you with even one plate of pastries-you'd either drop 'em or eat 'em."

I laughed and ran outside to take one. We went into the room, drew out a little table that was sitting against the wall, and began to eat.

"So, why weren't you at lunch?" asked Merry.

"IinadvertentlymayhavetoldLeglasaboutwhatisgoingto happentous," I said all in one breath.

"My Lady, that's dangerous!" gasped Pippin. "Why did you do it?"

"He was eavesdropping! I was talking to myself! It wasn't my fault," I said defensively. Pippin just rolled over laughing.

"What's so funny?" I said, annoyed.

"Do you remember, Merry? What Frodo said about Sam? 'I ain't dropping no eaves, sir, honest.'"

"It would indeed have been funny if Legolas had said that," I said with a smile. "He has quite the wrong voice for it."

* * *

Omniscient POV. In other words, mine, coming up for the next section! Skipping to pass of Caradhras, I want to get this one going.

* * *

The mountain was bitterly cold. All ten felt extremely sluggish and toiled to keep on moving.

At once there was a strange sound in the wind. They paused and Legolas said, "There is a fell voice upon the air."

They stopped and listened.

"It's Saruman!" yelled Gandalf over the wind.

"He is trying to bring down the mountain!" called Aragorn.

At once, a bolt of lightning struck the slopes above them, sending snow thundering down. Half of them evaded it; the hobbits and Annia weren't quite so lucky.

"Dig them out!" shouted Aragorn. The four hobbits were promptly dug out, but Boromir cried out, "I cannot find the child!"

At once, everyone began digging. They did not know that that bolt of lightning had been meant to strike her; but it would, perhaps, fulfill its purpose either way.

"Listen, Legolas. Can you hear a heartbeat under the snow?" asked Pippin.

Legolas listened. He could hear something, a very faint sound. He listened for a little while and then shook his head. "No."

The frantic digging increased, especially among the younger hobbits. Legolas was standing still and trying to listen; until he felt a beat, through his boots and the snow. He sprang back and began digging where he had stood, and after some moments, he found Annia, lying still, blue, and pale. He lifted her out, calling, "I have her!"

The others rushed around him where he stood. "Is she all right?" asked Pip.

"I do not know," said Legolas. He placed his hand over her heart. "It...yes, it is beating."

"She is not breathing," Aragorn pointed out.

"No, she's not." agreed Merry.

"Legolas! Breathe for her or she's going to die!" shrieked Pippin frantically.

Legolas looked up hastily. "What?! Me?"

"Yes you! This is no time to be bashful!"

"All right." He placed his mouth over Annia's cold one and blew out as hard as he could.

There was still nothing.

Pippin was panicking. "Gandalf, you have to do something! Please help her!"

"I do not know what," he said. Then he looked up. "That bolt of lightning was meant for her," he said. "Let us go down. Frodo? Do you want to risk Moria?"

"Yes," said Frodo, unable to look at Annia.

They toiled back down the mountain for the next hour. Annia still would neither wake nor breathe; Legolas continued to breathe for her, and made sure her heart was beating, though it seemed to him as if it were slowing and becoming fainter with every passing second. He was not sure why she couldn't breathe, but resigned himself to keeping on breathing into her lungs.

By the time they had reached the bottom, Legolas was exhausted.

"I will take her if you are tired," said Boromir. Legolas shook his head wearily. "I think it is better I keep her."

It was at that moment that Annia took a deep, shuddering breath and the began to cough, spewing out water. When she had finished, she lay back, utterly spent, against Legolas's shoulder. "I'm sorry. It was as if when I was under the snow I was being forced to breathe in and keep breathing."

So that was why she had not breathed until then; her lungs had been half-full of water.

Saruman was out to kill Annia.


	6. Preview of ending

PREVIEW OF LAST CHAPTER

* * *

Legolas picked Annia up gently and looked sorrowfully at the three wounds; one for each arrow.

"Why do you always come back to me dying, Annia? You see the pain of others and you take it for yourself. Why?"

"I'm tougher than you think, Legolas," said Annia, her voice rasping. "This is why I was sent here. To save innocent souls. He was the first. And there will be more."

"I will not let you."

"This is not your choice," said Annia, looking up at him with dimming eyes. "He would have died. I know it."

"So I watch you die instead." His voice was bleak and slightly angry.

"Yes," she whispered. "If that is the will of Fate let it be so."

"By killing yourself, Annia, you will also kill me," said Legolas. "Elves cannot live with broken hearts."

"What am I to you that you should die missing me?"

"You are everything," he said. "And I have watched you, time and again, put that own mortal life of yours at stake. You know everything that is going to happen..."

"Legolas..." she wheezed, trying to ignore the pain from the four arrow wounds on her body, "I have seen Boromir fall more than fifty times. Did you think that this one time where it was real, I was going to sit back and do nothing?"

"The Morgul blade. Frodo and the spear. And now him. Annia, you are only a child. How much can you bear?"

Her eyes were making a valiant effort to stay open. He could see it. "No-Annia, please, don't leave me-"

"I can bear..." whispered Annia, "...as much as I have to." Her eyes flickered closed and did not open again.

"But you-I love you! I love you! Do you hear me, Annia?" He gently laid the poor little body down and lay down beside her, staring up at the sky.

A small sigh made him start up, in time to hear Annia say with her last breath, "And I love you, Legolas." She pulled the necklace he had given her away and laid it in his hand. "It is not mine...not anymore."

"It will always be yours," he said fiercely, placing it back around her neck. "Like I will."

But this time his words got no answer. The pale mouth was still, the green eyes closed, the pierced heart at rest.

* * *

So I heard that it is cliche to have Legolas fall in love right away. This definitely is not him falling in love right away...you can guess why Annia is so badly hurt, I guess. But Annia will come back. She isn't going to die. Do not worry.


	7. Spitting and Singing and Tolkien

They were all walking to Moria.

Annia knew very well what was going to happen there, but she knew there was nothing to be done about it. She also realized that she might even try to have a little fun along the way...

* * *

"Ptah. Ptah, ptah, ptah." Gimli spat tobacco juice. He could, Annia noticed, spit pretty far. But not so far as she could. She knew that because she and her older sister Jen had often had spitting contests in their backyard when they were younger. Annia's record was thirteen and a half feet. Jen's was about the same, though she had always beaten Annia by a few inches at least.

"Hi, Gimli! How far can you spit?"

"Fairly." Gimli grinned. "Watch." He spit another spurt of juice. Annia gauged the distance.

"Looks like about...nine feet maybe. Watch me." Annia took a huge sip of water and spat it out as hard as she could, hoping that she could live up to her old ability. To her surprise, she did.

"You spit very well for a lady, lassie," said Gimli. "How?"

"I was trained by the best master on my planet-Jen River," said Annia with a laugh. Then she sighed.

"What is it?" asked Gimli.

"Nothing-it's just that I miss her a great deal. She's five years older than me and she got married two years ago. I never saw much of her after that, really. I mean, now she has a three-month old daughter, and she isn't the same Jen who used to hang upside down from trees and shriek whenever the neighborhood boys came over to play. She is kinder. More gentle. Sweeter. I thought when I was little, if she ever scolded me for spoiling her books or blaring out cartoons at top volume on our TV or spilling ice cream all over her, that I wanted her to be nicer to me. But when she started to be I wanted her back the way she was."

"What happened?"

"Well, someone broke my heart when I was sixteen," said Annia ruefully. "And when Jen found out about it..."

"She sounds like a dwarvish mother to me," said Gimli. "Tough and brusque, but fiercely protective."'

"Yes," said Annia. "She went over to his house with a can of black paint and wrote, 'Kevin Faulkner is a loser,' on his garage door. In huge letters. The whole town must have seen it, and the school didn't stop laughing about it for goodness knows how long. I didn't know until recently when were playing this game."

"Which was? And by the way, what is a garage?"

Annia laughed. "We were trying to name things we didn't know about each other. After I ran out of things she didn't know about me she said, 'I painted that sign on the Faulkners' garage door. And a garage is a sort of a big room where we keep our carriages."

"Ah, I see."

* * *

ANNIA POV

After that we got into an all-out spitting war. The hobbits were undeniably the best at it, after me of course. Gandalf even tried, but he said his mouth was far too dry to spit very far. Legolas was the best after the hobbits, but after some time he was laughing so hard that he couldn't spit straight. Boromir and Aragorn were just looking on for a while, and then they decided to join too, but Aragorn retreated after Pippin hit him in the back with a mouthful of water.

"Do people do such things often in your land?" asked Legolas, as we camped for the night.

"Not really," I said.

"Can you sing a song from your homeland?" he asked suddenly.

"Er...all right."

(A/N: Ok, I know I said no French but I was playing this song when my fiance proposed. I had my iPod on before he showed up. Heheheh.)

I took a deep breath and began to sing.

"_Haut les mains, haut les mains, haut les mains_

_Donne-moi ton coeur, donne-moi, donne-moi ton coeur, _

_donne-le, donne-le, donne-le moi_

_Donne-le moi. _

_Je t'ai vue, je t'ai suivie, observée, analysée_  
_J'en ai conclu que tu es l'amour de ma vie_  
_J't'avais vu depuis longtemps_  
_T'as pas compris en m'espionnant..."_

I stopped.

"What language is that?"

"French. It is one of many languages from my home."

"What does it all mean?"

"Well, the refrain mainly just says raise your hands and give me your heart."

"And?"

"The next says, I saw you, I followed you, observed you, analysed you...and I concluded that you are the love of my life."

"Can you go on?"

"I'd rather not," I said. "Do you mind if I sing another? In the common tongue."

"No, I do not mind. Your voice is beautiful."

I meditated a while on what to sing which was more like what one might hear in Middle-Earth. Then I decided on May it Be by Enya. So I launched into it with a will, making it better than I'd ever sung it at competitions or anywhere else, for that matter.

"There is Elvish in it," said Legolas, astonished. "How come?"

"People have heard Elvish where I came from."

"You only remind me of one person I have met," said Legolas. "A man named John Tolkien. He stayed in Rivendell for many years, and then mysteriously disappeared about sixty years ago. He spoke of marvels from his homeland. Something like the things you talk about."

I sat bolt upright. "Tolkien was HERE? You're joking. You have to be."

"You know him? That is strange. He must have lived long indeed to speak to you after he vanished."

"No, he's dead-died quite a while ago. But he was the one who wrote down everything about Middle Earth. Oh. My. God."

Wow.

Tolkien had been to Middle-Earth.


	8. Through a Cracked Tomb

Moria.

Well.

I DON'T WANNA WRITE ABOUT THIS (SOBS) Can i skip to the battle please please?

* * *

"They will see that there is one dwarf in Moria who yet draws breath!"

Gimli sprang up on top of the tomb.

And promptly fell through it. Annia braced herself, preparing to see yet one more dwarf's corpse.

She looked in. How strange...

* * *

ANNIA POV

HE LANDED IN MY LIVING ROOM! WHAT IN THE WORLD! HE LANDED IN MY LIVING ROOM!

I swear, this is getting entirely too weird.

The rest of them jumped into the tomb as well, coming down on my sofas. I jumped down after them. Immediately, the hole above is in my ceiling sealed itself, and there was no sign of the place it had been.

"Where are we?" asked Aragorn, after he had, seemingly, deemed it safe. I was just too shocked to speak.

"We are in my house," I whispered.

"WHAT?" they screeched.

"Guys, please, not so loud!" I shrieked, covering my ears. "You have to be quiet! What if the neighbors hear you?"

"Wait...you live here?" asked Pippin. He was looking at my comfortably and conservatively furnished room. There was a nice rug, a fireplace, colorful drapes, two squashy sofas and an armchair. There was a bookshelf, too, tall and absolutely stuffed.

"Yes, I do," I said with a grin. "Now, what about some food?"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, we were all sitting down to a lunch-I suppose it was lunch, since my clock was showing 12:30 PM-of eggs and sausages. I was strongly reminded of the dinner scene in the hobbit when I saw how they all _ate. _At last, they, and I, sat back, replete.

"So...this is your home." said Aragorn. "You have not told untruths when you talked about how it was different."

"You're just about to find out how true that is," I said. I flicked on my TV and watched their amazed reactions. "Is this sorcery?" asked Gandalf.

"Not really. It uses lightning for its power...it's able to generate it itself." I knew I was doing a really lame job explaining electricity but somehow I felt that going into detail was not really such a good idea. "Now for a movie night." Although technically it was barely one o' clock.

I took out my movie box and rifled through it. When I'd moved into my own apartment for college, I had brought all my favorites with me; some cartoons, the Harry Potter movies, Bon Voyage, Titanic, and the Lord of the Rings. There were even more in my bedroom but I didn't feel like going back there. My feet really hurt.

"Here we go..." I pulled out the first Harry Potter movie and put it into the DVD player. And then I sat back and just watched their faces with a huge smile.

* * *

Legolas POV

The "movie" Annia put on for us was certainly entertaining. I found myself remembering my childhood friends Elladan and Elrohir as we watched the adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. When it was finished, Annia put on the second one, which was even more interesting than the first. The snake in it was absolutely gargantuan; I had never seen one so large before. By the end of that one, Annia was fast asleep with her head on my shoulder.

"I wanted to watch the next one," said Merry sadly.

"I watched how she played it," said Pippin excitedly. "I think I can do it."

He hopped nimbly over to a box in the corner and rifled among it until he pulled out a slender box. "It's this one." He pushed the button that opened the thing Annia had called a DVD player, put in a thin circle of metal, and then pushed the button again.

"Wait-let me take her to her room first," I said. I quickly picked her up and, going inside, laid her on her bed, then quietly backing out and closing the door.

* * *

Omniscient POV

By the end of the memory scene of the Deathly Hallows part two, the hobbits were crying. That was, except Frodo. He was fast asleep.

"That is so sad," sobbed Pippin. "He never saw her alive again."

"Do things like that happen here very often?" asked Merry.

"How would I know? I don't live here," said Sam, wiping his eyes.

"Where are we all going to sleep?" asked Pippin presently.

The others were all asleep on the sofas. Gandalf was snoring in the one chair.

"Let's go inside and see if she has a spare bed. We can all cram in if she does."

So the hobbits headed in, and found Annia's spare bedroom, where they crawled into the double bed and fell fast asleep.

* * *

Annia Pov

The next morning, my doorbell rang loudly twice. I got out of bed and struggled to the door, determined not to let whoever it was into my living room but to keep them in the hallway.

It was Jen. In her arms was her daughter Violet, and Jen looked distraught and tired.

"Jen! What's the matter!"

"I'm really, really, sorry about this, Annia," she said. "Peter's dad had a stroke."

I clutched at the doorknob. Peter was Jen's father-in-law and he was one of our best friends. He's served as a father figure to us ever since our own father died.

"How is he?" I managed to croak.

"I don't know yet, but me and Peter are flying to Austin to find out."

"Oh, JEN..."

"Will you please take care of Violet?" she asked. "For just four days. I know you're busy with studying and jour job and you haven't time to come over, but we'll be in the hospital the whole time...there'll be no one to take care of her. And if she got sick there...who knows what could happen?"

"I thought you wouldn't come over because you were busy with Violet," I said, beginning to understand why there had been a distance between us for the last year. We both thought the other was busy and didn't want to intrude.

"Oh, no, never," said Jen. "You're my sister...I always want to see you."

"Yes, I'll take care of Violet," I said, hugging my sister tightly. "Take care of Daddy Dan, okay?"

"I will. Thank you so much." She hugged me, handing me Violet and a bag with all of Violet's things in it, and walked away. I'd looked after Violet lots of times before.I was sure that this would be no problem.

I needed someone from my world right then, after all the things that had happened. Even a three month old baby. I loved her dearly.

* * *

Legolas POV

I awoke on the sofa where I had fallen asleep yesterday. Looking around, I surmised that it was about four hours before noon; I had indeed slept for a very long time. Getting up, I saw that the others were all asleep in various places around the room; and then I missed the hobbits. Walking softly inside, I opened the second of the two other doors I had notices when I had carried Annia to her bed. The hobbits were all crowded together in this room and sleeping peacefully.

I saw that the door to Annia's room was ajar. This surprised me, because I had closed it when I had left the previous night. I stepped in and promptly stepped back in shock. Annia was lying on her bed, a pained expression on her face, clutching to her a tiny infant. Was the child hers? Where had it been yesterday if that was the case?

This has been nothing but confusion from start to finish. I went back to the front room and lay back on the floor.

* * *

Gandalf Pov

When I awoke, I heard something moving about in the inner rooms. Then I heard a soft, gentle, coaxing voice.

"Yes, that's right. Come on, we've got to get you some breakfast." I heard footsteps and then the sound of a door opening and closing, and then Annia stepped out with a tiny child in her arms, which was waving its arms lazily and sleepily.

"Annia-?" She understood the question at once.

"She is my sister's daughter, Violet. Her husband's father has fallen very ill...so they have gone to...to say goodbye to him," she said, swallowing.

"I am sorry, Annia," I said gently.

"It will be awful if Violet never gets to see her grandfather," she said, biting her mouth. "I have to feed Violet." She vanished into her kitchen and then returned. "Please don't let any of the others in. She will be frightened to death."

I nodded and then proceeded to keep watch over the kitchen door. Legolas awoke, and then so did the others. I explained the situation.

Presently, Ania reappeared, holding the baby, which had now fallen back into sleep. I allowed myself a smile smile as I gazed at her.

"She's a beautiful baby, Annia," said Pippin.

"I know," said Annia, fondly. "Let me go and return her to my room."

* * *

BTW Violet is going to be important in this story.


	9. home at last

Legolas POV

It seemed, I realized, as if I were seeing a side to the girl that had been completely hidden to all of us, now that she was back in her own world. She had, we realized, the independence of a man before anything else, except perhaps the motherly tenderness of a woman, which we saw as she cared for the child. In the morning, when I awoke, the first sounds I heard were her gentle voice, singing to the babe. I grew to be fond of these songs myself, although one puzzled me greatly.

"_You are __a daughter of the fire, of the rain,_

_And you are a child of hope, of love, of pain,_

_you belong on these soils, you belong on this Earth,_

_For your soul will weep and scream with mirth._

_You are a maiden of the sky,_

_For stars and suns within you lie._

_The heavens are your roof, the trees your shade,_

_You are a lover of this world; for that you were made."_

_(a/n: recognize this?)_

Five days after the child Violet was brought there, her mother came to retrieve her. Annia kept us all out of sight while she gave the baby back to her mother, declining Jen's offers for her to stay with them. When Jen and the baby were gone, Annia shut the door and then returned with a quiet, sad face.

"What's the matter, Annia?" asked Pippin.

"I just realized that I was counting on chance so much to take us back to middle earth," she said, brushing a lock of black hair back from her eyes. "Coming home makes me realize now how difficult that is going to be. And if we ever do return..." She did not finish that sentence, for tears formed in her eyes and she began to sob, burying her face in her hands. I crossed the room and held her close in my arms, remembering the day when my younger sister, Ayiel, had faded from the death of the one she had loved. I remembered watching her die, knowing that I could do nothing to save her. Though why that memory made itself known when I comforted Annia, I could not tell. Perhaps it was a similarity in their faces, their voices. But I knew that was not the reason, though I struggled to find it myself.

"If we ever go back...what?" I asked, stepping back and looking down at her. She ran a weary hand over her head, and then motioned to the rest of us.

"Follow me."

Confused, we followed her back into her 'living room' where she directed us to sit in this way; Boromir, Aragorn, and I on one sofa, Gandalf, Pippin, and Sam on the other, Merry in the armchair, and Frodo on the large stuffed footstool, which she had told me was Jen's gift to her furnishings when she had set up housekeeping alone. Annia crossed to her bookcase and took out three leather books.

"This," she said, taking a deep breath, "is the story of my life."

* * *

I assumed that they were journals, but when she opened for first of the three, my eyes fell on an extremely skillfully painted portrait of a laughing child sitting on a man's shoulders. The man was walking under trees, and in the distance I could see an older girl and a woman who looked very like her.

"You and Jen," I said, marveling at the expressions so beautifully captured.

She continued to show these portraits to us, explaining every single one as she did so. By the time that we reached the last one, I realized that she had truly lived a life. I was over four thousand years old, and suddenly each year seemed so wasted as I watched the full glory of a single mortal life.

Annia came to a page showing herself with two smiling boys, one sitting on either side of her. One she had already told her was her cousin, Bertrand. However, when she saw the other, her quickly moving hand stopped short and she quickly flipped the page, as if feeling that picture too shameful for us to see. This confused me slightly, as did the fast that she said nothing about it. But her hand was shaking as we went on. When the books were all closed, she looked at us.

"Now do you understand?" she asked. "I have a _life _here. A beautiful life, I am a student in a good college, I have a family who loves me-but I am inexplicably tied to middle-earth. Whichever path I take, my heart will lose some part of itself. If I stay here and pretend that none of this ever happened, I will still have a hole in my heart where what happened should have been. And if I go back...I will be leaving all my heart and hopes. If we have a choice, what should I do?"

"Follow your heart," said Gandalf gently. "Let it lead you."

"You know what, I think I will," she said. Then she smiled. "I'm going to go swimming."

* * *

Saruman POV

"It is as you asked, my Lord," I said, looking into the gathering in Annia's living room. "They think that they have escaped Moria and its orcs and the balrog," I chuckled. "Your ring will do a great deal more in that world, even guarded as it is by the hobbit and the others."

An echoing voice filled the room. "You have done well to tear apart that weft between the worlds. It is true; my ring shall come back to me much more quickly than it ever would here. Now, you have failed at your last task. But you have indeed fulfilled my other requests. Now, all you must do is kill the human girl. She possesses a dangerous gift and she shall not hesitate to use it. It is not as I thought. This gift has not left her now that she has returned to her own world."

I bowed my head. "It shall be done as soon as I find the proper delegate for your task."

"I believe that you may have the right one," said Sauron's laughing voice. "The girl holds a dark secret in her heart. As a child she loved another of her own age very dearly; he betrayed her, of course. You saw that she was unwilling even to look at the picture with his face; the memory is recent, the wounds are yet fresh. All you need now is the right knife to reopen them."

* * *

Legolas POV

She truly was a beautiful swimmer.

This was one of the first thoughts that brought itself to my mind when I watched her from her window, swimming in the large blue pool. She was wearing a garmelt that was rather short for a woman, only reaching her knees at the leg and her elbows at the arm.

"You seem distracted, my friend," came a sly voice from behind me. I turned to see Aragorn, with a lifted eyebrow and a trace of a smile.

"I am not distracted," I said defensively. "I am just observant."

"Legolas, if you had ever intently watched a woman swimming in Mirkwood as closely as you are watching Annia nowI would have banged a pan over your hear to rout the stars from your eyes," he said, laughing. "Are you sure that I do not need to do it?'

"Yes, I am sure," I said. "There is a strange beauty about her swimming. She moves like a fish does she not?"

"You act like a fish, do you not?"

"I have had enough of this," I said, stalking off to find the hobbits. I found them playing chess in the inner bedroom, two-a-side. Merry and Pippin against Frodo and Sam. I decided to cheer loudly at every conquer made. It was easier than regarding the amused face of Aragorn.

* * *

Aha, and the time for LEGOMANCE is about to arrive XD

* * *

So...for my reviewers:

DORK DOG: your name is an awesome acronym. Diamond in the Rough sounds so plagiarized off Aladdin when you compare XD Thank you for reviewing. Please keep reviewing! I need them while I struggle with bad bad bad bad bad headaches I have earned from yapping on the phone all day.

Dancing Chestnut: Don't worry, Legolas's modesty shall be preserved. Although I am still tempted by the surfing. Not because of the image or anything but because he would finally understand Annia's idea of fun. Thank you for reviewing! And btw I liked your story too. :)

Cretha Loesing: Yes! Tolkien! WOW! We get to meet him! He is currently in the Undying Lands with his wife Edith...so when Legolas sets sail he will meet old John Tokien again, and weep for the fact that Annia could not see it too. Aw, I'm being depressing...

pixies: pixies are beautiful. They just are so pretty and magical. But reviewers are even more pretty and magical. Review more? plz?

SEE YOU NEXT TIME! Lots of random things come up next chapter. Saruman carries out his plan. Annia's heart breaks anew, and she realizes that she has come to have feelings for...a certain...ok, you know who, why do I bother. The hobbits go on a techno rampage! Gandalf has a war with a toaster! Annia is confronted by a very worried friend! Frodo loses the ring! Sam finds it!

Hey, why am I spilling the whole chapter before I have even thought of writing it? Lolz, silly me. Fiance coming over in the morning and god knows how late it is. HAVE been really sick. My mom has been taking care of me with the whole ginger tea, honey and lemon, hot chicken soup, etc, and it is so comforting to be a baby again. Al promised he would bring me flowers I would love and mom gave him permission to stay and look after me for a while tomorrow because he begged her so hard to be allowed to, and I am kinda excited to see him and the flowers too. He is going to make a Fanfiction account; his username will be The Potential Pyromaniac. And don't be harsh...I suggested that name :P Check his stories out...yeah, if he ever gets around to writing any :D


	10. Saruman and a dream

Hey again! legomance is nigh.

* * *

It was about thirty minutes later that Legolas (who still had a view of the swimming pool from the hobbits' window) saw Ania emerging from the water, laughing in the company of a friend, who had gleaming copper-colored skin, black hair falling in a braid past her waist, and an air of fiery disdain which seemed to act as a protective shield. Legolas had been observing the two girls carefully, listening to their conversation. It seemed that Annia was talking in a foreign language he hadn't heard; it was a different one which sounded more like Elvish than the other. Trying to make some sense of it was futile, so he merely waited for the speech to revert to the common tongue.

As the two meandered toward the steps, a figure approached them. Legolas's eyes narrowed. The face of this man was familiar, though he couldn't place where he had seen it before. He stopped before Annia and the other girl; they stopped short and stared up at him. He appeared to be speaking in a honeyed voice to Annia; she at once stepped back, shaking her head. The dark-skinned girl shot a venomous look at him, and then they got out of the pool and walked briskly away. The man ran after them, catching Annia's arm; she pulled it away at once and looked at her fingers in surprise. Then she narrowed her eyes; the other girl was more expressive of her emotions, it seemed. She raised her hand and slapped the man across his face, and then burst into a torrent of the same foreign language he had heard before, before yelling, "Puzzle out those blasted brains on that all day for all the good it will do you!"

The man's eyes darkened in anger and he seemed to be ready to strike the girl down himself, but Annia tugged her away in time and the two began to run. They parted ways soon, the dark-skinned girl running for one apartment building and Annia for the other, and within five minutes Legolas heard her step outside and her key turning in the door. She bolted through it, slamming it behind her, and then collapsed with her back against it.

"What has happened?" asked Legolas at once, hurtling into the room.

"That...was Kevin Faulkner," she said, wrapping her towel around herself. There was still fear in her eyes. "He...he was telling me to come back to him. That he's learned his lesson. But there was something so frightening about his eyes-they were almost black, though they were definitely blue when I saw them last. And there's something really weird about his manner too...so...foxish. My friend Anjali got angry and slapped him."

"He...what?" Legolas was boiling with anger. He remembered now; the boy who had broken her heart when she was young, the one that Jen had taken revenge on. He had the nerve to come back to her? Was that what men were _like _here?

"Don't worry." She got up. "I never, never, never will, after what he did."

"Annia...what did he do?"

Annia's eyes looked slightly haunted. "I was...well, he...it's not important."

"Annia." He took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Tell. Me. Please."

"Well...I was...young then, I didn't understand. I allowed him to get close to me-," Annia closed her eyes. "-and I know what you're thinking, and it's nothing like that, I promise you. I mean, close emotionally. And we were always in the same place, I mean, we did all our work together. And on our examination day I found out why, too."

"Why, Annia?"

"He was only there to copy my work. And before our final examination he stole my notes," she said sadly. "My grade was only slightly lowered because of it, but it hurt so much to think that someone you cared for would go to the trouble of a three-year relationship just for his examinations. I ought to have known, too. My mom said so time and again that she thought he was up to no good. But I didn't believe her and I got what I deserved."

"Never say that," said Legolas. "How badly this person hurt you was not your fault. You were good and kind and intelligent and you should not have to carry any painful memories. And as for him, I'll deal with him." He was ready to move out of the door when Annia held him back.

"No, Please. Something terrible might happen to you. And besides," said Annia with a rueful smile, "knowing Jen, if I called her right now, by nightfall his house would be in ashes. She will take care of him; that's her job in her heart, to look after me."

"Do you women always fight battles here?" he asked.

"We do." She sighed. "We have to. Our men are...corrupted. And we have to fight for ourselves, for our children, for our families. Because there's simply no one else to do it. You saw how Anjali was ready to tackle him to the ground."

"What a strange world," said Legolas, running his hand over his head and closing his eyes. Then he opened them again. "I suppose a man with the personality of any of us would truly be a rare thing."

"True. And there are some good men. But they're rare, and that's one reason why so many women don't marry here." said Annia.

"But then the children...?"

Annia half-smiled. She knew that she would only confuse Legolas further. "Well, it's like this..."

* * *

Saruman POV

"You have given me wrong information, my Lord," I said, looking into the palantir. "This boy is not important enough to her to come away with him. I suggest you find a new plan."

"Patience, Saruman," came Sauron's amused voice. "I do not mean for her to go away with him-or you, as it happens to be. I mean for her existence in her own world to become so painful that if the fellowship ever receives an opportunity to return here-and trust me, just as I managed it the first two times, I will do it this time, as well-she will want to return with them. If she does not go, history will repeat itself."

"Repeat itself?"

"I mean that it has happened before that the Ring was destroyed. And some strange occurrence brought us all back in time, it seems to be. The mysteries of this are not known yet even to me; but I know what happened. Therefore history must be changed from its previous course, and if she continues with the Fellowship her very presence will do so for me."

"Do you wish me to go again in the shape of the boy, my lord?"

"No," and the voice was high and cackling. "You will go as _her._ Immediately the face of a smiling woman arose upon the palantir, who slightly resembled the girl. "Jennifer, the sister of Annia. The love between the two is strong; but a harsh, cruel word from the mouth of the older will irreparably harm the younger. She has said many times how close they are; imagine if that should be taken away. What _would _be left for Annia River in that world?"

"You are right, my lord," I said, nodding. "Nothing."

* * *

Legolas POV (This a dream, by the way.)

* * *

I was in bed. But not upon the floor where I slept now, upon my bedroll. I was at home in Greenwood, in my own room. Beneath me I could feel the silken sheets, and upon my arm was pillowed a small golden head. I smiled as I looked upon it. Presently the small head arose to reveal the bright face of a beautiful young elven girl, perhaps five years old at the most. She had bright blue eyes; not my shade of blue, but a deeper shade, closer to the color of sapphires.

"Ada!" she said, patting my cheek. "Ada, you are awake at last. I know what present we should give naneth when Estelin comes."

"You are already thinking about that? It won't be for months yet, Ayiel."

"But I didn't have a sister to make a present for me, and you said elflings always make presents when their baby sisters come," she said. "And I have a good idea too, but I'll have to catch it, not make it."

"And what is that, my dear one?" I sat up, and lifted the child into my lap.

"I think a nice bear cub would be just the thing," she said, bouncing excitedly. "Naneth loves bears. Do you remember the time you saved her from that big one when you were in the woods at her home?"

"Of course I do. Even I was frightened."

"But you never get scared, Ada. Don't you remember when you and uncle Gimli shot down all those orcs?"

"I was frightened for naneth's sake, sweet one. I was so frightened it would reach her before I did."

"But you saved her. Naneth says you are her hero."

"She is quite right, my little elfling. And she is also my hero. She saved me after the paths of the dead, you know. There was one time that I thought I was gone-I was pinned up against a wall, and my sword was lost, and an orc was coming in with an ax. My arrows were all gone, too. And the moment he lifted the ax, he fell forward with an arrow in his throat. And it was our own naneth who shot it-and she knew nothing about archery, until that very moment when I was in danger."

"What was the time you were most worried for her, ada?"

"The day you were born," I said. "We were so anxious for you to come-and we loved you the moment we saw you. But naneth fell so ill a little while later that we all thought she was going to die."

This thought seemed to put the child in mind of something else. "Will naneth die when Estelin comes?" she asked me with a quaver in her voice. Her large blue eyes, which put me in mind of someone else's, filled with tears. "I don't want naneth to die."

"No, she will not die. We were traveling then, and there was no help within miles of us, Ayiel-and now we are here at home and all the healers of the palace ready to come to her aid if need be."

She seemed comforted, and then she said, "Ada? Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Ayiel. Adars know how to answer little elflings' questions."

"You told me that naneth wasn't like us," said Ayiel. "You said one day naneth would die like mortal men."

I bit my lip.

"Yes, Ayiel. Naneth is going to leave for the halls of Mandos before any of us do."

"Why?" Her voice was shaking again. "Why is naneth so delicate when we are not?"

"Because we are elves and naneth is not an elf, my dear. It is the way of fate, and naneth has accepted it. She will wait there for us both, and Estelin too."

"But I can't live without naneth."

"I do not know if I can, either," I said, remembering the fate that was to befall Arwen when Aragorn died.

"You have to promise not to leave me when naneth dies," she said, bursting into tears and burying her face in my shirt. "Promise. You said we can fade if our hearts are broken, and if naneth dies your heart will break, and if it breaks you'll fade, and if you fade you'll die, and if you die, I'll-"

"Hush, hush, my Ayiel, don't even talk about you fading from grief for me," I said, rocking her back and forth in my arms. "We will have a long time before that happens. You know she was gifted to live longer than most men. And for your sake I will promise not to fade, for as long as you are alive my heart can never truly die."

"And Estelin." Ayiel reminded me.

"And Estelin too," I agreed.

"I'm still worried about Estelin coming. I can hear her talking, ada, and I want her to be able to love naneth just like me." She looked up beseechingly. "I don't want Estelin to grow up without naneth."

"She won't. Don't worry. And what is that about you hearing Estelin talking?"

"I can! I can hear her! She keeps on saying how much she wants to come out and meet us. But she also talks about how loud naneth's heart beats, and how she can never sleep because of it but she loves listening to naneth's heart."

The door opened, and both I and Ayiel looked over to see a woman standing there smiling. She rushed over to the bed where we sat, lifting Ayiel from my arms into hers. She gave me a long kiss before Ayiel said crossly, "Ada, you monopolize naneth's kisses. I think she loves you better than me." This made my wife turn her attention immediately back to the elfling she held.

"My darling one," she said, smothering Ayiel with kisses. "How was your nap?"

"I had nice dreams about baby bears," said Ayiel contentedly. "But I'm worried about you."

"Because of Estelin?"

"Yes."

"Listen to her talking. Maybe you will believe Estelin better than you believe me."

Ayiel laid her ear against her mother's stomach.

"Can you hear her, Ayiel?"

"I can hear her."

"What is she saying?"

"She says she will keep you safe and not to worry about you," said Ayiel, sitting up. "But how does she know?"

"She just does. Now, I have an elfling to bathe, an endless number of plans to make, a ceremony to attend, and a journey to prepare for. What do you think I should start with, Legolas?"

"I think you should just remain in my arms, meleth nin." I kissed her forehead.

"You know how much I long just to do that. But alas! the king and queen of Mirkwood have other duties, and it is still too soon for me to withdraw from mine. Though they are becoming more tiring. So which first?"

"Bathing our Ayiel," I said, with my eyes twinkling at her. Ayiel squealed and jumped from our arms and under the bed. Her mother leaned over and said gently, "I know you are waiting for me to come under there, Ayiel, but I cannot go under there any more. Maybe adar can pull you out."

"But ada doesn't fit under the bed," came Ayiel's disappointed voice. Then she crawled out again. "All right, I'll take my bath, naneth. Will you bathe me?"

"Yes, love. Come on. I shall see you later, meleth nin." She blew a kiss at me, then left the room with Ayiel.

* * *

I awoke then, sitting upright in the dark. When I realized that all I had just seen was a dream, I also realized that I had seen my daughter.

Ayiel.

Dreams like this, I knew, did not come often. They were only sent to inform one of their future, or what could be. In my future, it seemed I was to have daughter named for my sister, and be married to a human woman with eyes the color of sapphires- -

I wondered how I had not recognized her face, for she looked exactly in the dream as she did now.

And Ayiel-Ayiel had her eyes exactly, her saucy nose, her broad forehead. She had, of course, my ears.

Annia.

But how was I to marry Annia? I did not even feel anything for her but friendship. I wondered what it would be like to be Annia's husband, to rule side by side with her, to love her, to cherish her. Somehow I could see it very plainly...Annia as my wife, the mother of Ayiel and Estelin-I somehow found myself wishing that my vision of my daughter was not a dream, and I felt it painful to know that she might never exist.

But why had I seen the dream? Why?

* * *

Aragorn POV

* * *

Annia had gone out to bring food. I noticed that Legolas seemed both anxious and listless; the first was an emotion that we had all had, but the second? He also seemed very thoughtful.

"Legolas, tell me what is bothering you. You would be enough to drive even the most placid cow insane today. What is the matter?"

"Can I tell you?"

"Yes, you can."

"I had a dream..."

"And all this is about a dream?"

"Yes. And hear me out before you call me a child. In the dream, I was back in Greenwood. And I had a daughter. I was married, and I was the king of the wood...though I do not know why I was instead of my father. I was speaking with my daughter-her name was Ayiel-about her mother. She was worried for her mother because a second child was soon to be born, and my wife had fallen gravely ill at Ayiel's birth. And then she asked me not to fade when her naneth died."

I drew in a breath. "Then your wife..."

"Was human. Yes, Aragorn...and toward the end of the dream, she came in, and took Ayiel away for her bath. And when she left, and I awoke, I recognized her."

"Who was she?" I was surprised to find how urgent my voice had become.

"It was Annia," said Legolas.


	11. A Kiss and a Fall

So hi readers! I hope you were happy with the nice last chapter. It was long enough right?

Thank you again to all reviewers!

* * *

Annia POV

I can never remember being so hurt in my life. Not even after Kevin and the examinations.

Jen just came over...and the way she talked to me you'd think I'd have done something awful to Violet or something. She said she'd always hated me but had hidden it so our parents would still love her. And she said a whole host of other things too, which cause me to burst into tears the moment she left and throw myself down on my bed, weeping. I heard the door open; I supposed that one of the others (of course, they had all heard Jen. even though they were hidden in my guest room.) had come in, and I raised tearstained eyes to see Legolas.

"Hello," I said, managing to choke out the words before starting to cry again.

"Do not worry over what she said, Annia," he said, gently running his hand over my head. "She will come back and apologize."

"I don't know. I don't even care anymore," I said. "Don't pat my head like that!" I cried out. "It's what _she _used to do."

"Then what would you rather I do?" he said gently.

"Just-just hold me," I said. So he obliged, and I cried in his arms until I had no more tears left in my eyes.

"Thank you," I said. I sat in front of him. "Could we-talk?"

"About what, my friend?" He laughed softly.

"Oh, anything. Your dreams from last night perhaps?"

"They were rather long and confusing, not exactly balm for a troubled spirit."

"Okay. Let's just sit then."

"You swim beautifully," he said, as if he'd been wanting to say it for a long time.

"I know."

Somehow-I don't even know how it happened-but-

He kissed me.

He...

* * *

Legolas POV

The moment her mouth touched mine, it was as if warm stars had exploded in my stomach. Tentatively she returned the kiss, and I wondered how I could ever have deluded myself-or her, even-that I thought of her as only a friend. The dream from last night rushed through my mind, and I wrapped my arms about her, pulling her close.

And _that _was when the door opened.

It was Gandalf. Well, Aragorn too. In fact, it was the whole rest of the fellowship.

"I wondered what you two were doing in here," said Gimli flatly, his voice frantically trying not to laugh.

"Why is he kissing her, Merry?"

"It's not your business Pippin."

"But I..."

"Pippin don't you know that they must care for each other?"

"But I care for you, and I'm not kissing you-"

The room burst into laughter.

It was an awkward moment. A very, very, very, very, very, very, very, awkward moment. My eyes found Aragorn's.

"Good luck, mellon-nin."

And with that the world went black, and it was as if the floor had disappeared from between us, and we were falling.

And all that was real, and all that existed, was the firm grasp of Annia's hand upon mine.

* * *

Saruman POV

I laughed as I looked into the palantir. My second impersonation had come off well.

"You have done well, Saruman," came the high, cold voice of Sauron. "They are all on their way back to middle-earth at this very moment."

"And where will they end up?" I asked. "Surely not more than two or three minutes have passed here since you took them from the mines."

"They will return exactly where they were," said Sauron.

* * *

So I know I debunked the kiss part. I don't know, the only two people who ever kissed me asked permission and I wanted to have the kiss scene here but I couldn't see Legolas asking Annia to kiss him after his thoughts from the last night. This chapter is such a short filler and I know it. My apologies. But I really can't write any more after that monster of a previous chapter, so we will have to wait...oh no! Gandalf never got to fight with the toaster! NO! The hobbits never played Angry Birds on the Ipod! CUUUURSEEEEES! But saddest of all I have to write the Moria scene after all. (sighs.) Can you imagine what it'd be like to be snatched away from the battle of Moria, spend three weeks in a nother world and then get plopped back straight into Moria!? It must be highly off-putting to say the least. And Legolas is going to keep having dreams of his future, and Annia will start having them as well. Galadriel will know about it too obviously.

So it's pretty late, my mom has said if i don't go to bed she isn't going to let my fiance take care of me again and I cannot risk that. :D

By the way, plz respond from review or PM to this question: What is the proper time length for an engagement in middle-earth? doesnt really matter but just answer that.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO MY BEAUTIFUL REVIEWERS...DORK DOG, pixies, Cloetha Loesing, Dancing Chestnut, and Noxy the Proxy :)

C U next time!

-The Diamond in the Rough.


	12. The Glass

Ok, you guys, I have tried over and over again to write the Moria battle scene. But I couldn't. 'sobs' don't worry, I will write all the other battle scenes, but somehow the moria one just freaks me out. I'm skipping now to just after Moria. And I will probably mess up some scenes so please bear with me. This cold is killing me :( summer colds really get me down somehow.

* * *

Annia POV

As we all stumbled out of the mines, we were all tired, and heavy-hearted. I was probably not as grief-stricken as the rest, because I knew that Gandalf was coming back soon. But seeing Gandalf falling in real life had been absolutely nothing like it was in the movie or the book. We sat down at once; several of us burst into tears. I only dimly heard it when the order was given for us to move again. And so began the walk to Lothlorien.

* * *

Legolas POV

I could not sleep.

How could I? Gandalf had fallen. The scene continued to play out before my eyes. The others had fallen into sleep, even though they often twitched or moaned, even Aragorn.

And then I heard a voice. It was Annia, not talking in the slurred speech common to human sleep-talkers, but clearly and perfectly. Yet looking at her, I saw she was still sleeping. She sat up straight with her eyes open, but they were glazed and I knew that she was not awake.

"They are coming. They have taken the gate, and the second hall...we cannot get out. We cannot get out; and there are drums, drums in the deep. They are coming-no, please, don't make me speak of that. Consult the annals for that, please, and not me. I have done all you asked." She got up, to my astonishment, and began to pace around us. "This is nothing." Her voice was growing bitter. "My existence is worth nothing. What there is in that pool will change nothing, not for me. Then she stood still, and then rushed towards the dying fire, striking at it again and again with her hands. I launched myself up and pulled her away, holding her tightly as she struggled to return to the fire. At once, she went quite limp, and then she looked up at me, the glazed look gone entirely from her eyes. She had woken.

"What were you dreaming of?" I said, looking down at her hands, which were turning an angry red.

"She asked me to tell her what was in the dwarvish book," said Annia. "And then to look within the water. And I saw such terrible things, and I struck at the water, and it pained me badly."

I bandaged her hands as best as I could, and then a faint hum and then a song from Aragorn's sleeping lips could be heard. Annia and I looked at each other and then tried to hear what he was singing.

_The moonlight fell upon her hair, _

_and starlight shone within the air. _

_They called, but nothing slowed her feet_

_Not rain, nor snow, not storms, nor sleet._

_She was a maiden of the sky, _

_Whose heart could sing, run free and fly_

_The child of hope consigned her life, _

_To pain and grief, to fear and strife, _

_In the darkness still we cry her name, _

_But death before us took its claim. _

_And we heard above the clashing din, _

_Estelin! Estelin!_

_She fell upon those turrets high, _

_Her hands reached up, toward the sky. _

_And now we weep with sorrow wild_

_For Estelin, our elven-child._

"What is that song?" Annia asked me.

"It is the lay of Estelin."

"Who was she?"

"That is something no one knows," I said. "She may never have existed; she could merely be a figure of legend, or it may be a prophecy of an Estelin who will yet come to be."

"It is a beautiful song. Is it in Elvish originally?"

"No, it was not. It does not sound as beautiful in Elvish."

"The name Estelin sounds familiar to me, though I have never heard it."

Then I remembered where I had just heard the name Estelin; Estelin, my second daughter in the dream.

Could things possibly become any more complicated?

* * *

Aragorn POV

The next morning, when I awoke, Legolas was sitting staring out into the forest with his back to us.

"Good morning, my friend," I said, going to sit beside him.

"And to you." He seemed lost in thought.

"Again, Legolas, I sense that you have seen something in your dreams."

"Not in my dreams, but in yours."

"Ah?"

"It is...nothing, we will speak of it later."

* * *

Skip to Lorien.

* * *

Annia POV

Even though it had only been three days since we had returned to Middle-Earth, I was overjoyed to have my own tent again. The elf-maiden who took me there presented me with an armful of clothes and then told me that food would be served in an hour. I was exhausted, and collapsed at once onto the camp bed. It was a great deal more simple than my old room at home or in Rivendell, but it was just as comfortable. I laid the clothes down on a chair and just fell into the bed.

When I awoke a few hours later (obviously, I had missed lunch) I heard a strange voice in my mind.

_Come to the Mirror, Annia. There is much you must see. _

I somehow knew who the voice belonged to, and where I had to go to find the mirror; so I got up, left my tent, and then started walking. Soon I came to a room which was above me. A flight of steps led to it. I mounted the steps and then came face to face with Galadriel.

"So you have come at last," she said. She lifted a pitched and poured water into the basin standing in the middle of the room. "Look into the water, Annia of Earth."

I obeyed, stepping up to the basin, taking a deep breath, and looked in.

At once, the mirror showed me an image of Frodo. He was walking alone in a shallow ravine. Where was Sam? There was no scene in the book where Frodo was walking alone. There was a scene like that in the movie, but Peter Jackson, or whoever wrote the screenplay, obviously wasn't Tolkien.

Then the image faded, and was replaced by one that made my heart stand still. A young woman was shackled on the top of a tower, her eyes sorrowful. Below her it seemed that there was a battle going on; someone came and unchained the girl. The man seemed to be giving her a honeyes and enturely false invitation. She looked wildly around, then plunged for the edge of the tower and jumped over it. I gasped and pulled away.

As the girl fell, I had seen her eyes. They were wide open, frightened, and yet determined. But that was not the reason; as she plunged towards her death, her eyes met mine-and they were exactly the color of my own.

But not even that was all. Upon her breast hung the golden locket which I was wearing now, at that very instant.


	13. Your Duty

Author's note

So...guys...I'm kinda running out of ideas. 'gulps' please help me! PM or review or anything...This is my plan so far.

Fellowship proceeds as usual, Boromir is shot, Annia takes all his wounds upon herself and he begs her not to but she insists. The other four give their energy to heal her, but she's still very weak from her spell. Legolas and Annia both have dreams of their future, and both keep dreaming about Estelin's death and come to accept that she will be their daughter.

AH BEING OUTTA IDEAS SUUUCKKKS!

Okay! I just got one! WOOHOO! But I HAVE to stop relying on Galadriel's mirror. :D

* * *

Legolas POV

"Come to the mirrror, Thranduilon."

I approached the basin in the middle of the room warily. I had seen Annia leaving the place as if her feet had wings; as she ran past me she didn't seem to notice that I was there, and in her eyes there was nothing but terror. She was clutching the gold locket she wore as if she would never let it go, and tears were standing out in her eyes.

"Look into the water."

I took a deep breath and looked in. At once an image surfaced; it was of Boromir, looking absolutely exhausted. He was staggering as he walked, and he was soaked in blood. The reason for this blood was apparent; in his arms he held a limp figure so bloodsoaked that it was hard to believe that so much blood could be contained in one body. This figure was not moving, and in Boromir's eyes was grief and guilt in equal measure. Then I saw Aragorn, running into view. He took the figure from Boromir's arms and, as Boromir swayed, handed the figure quickly to someone who was standing out of my view, catching Boromir in time to lower him down to the ground. Aragorn gave Boromir a waterskin, and I saw myself stoop to the ground, Annia in my arms. From her throat she pulled a necklace-not the one she wore now, but a delicate one that seemed to be wrought of mithril. She put it in my hands. I shook my head fiercely and placed it back around her neck. I saw myself fall down on the ground beside her and shake with sobs.

Gimli stood next to me, and placed his hand on my shoulder. Aragorn stood staring at Annia and the unconscious Boromir, and then placed two fingers upon his lips, and then to her forehead; the customary gesture of the elvish, for the last farewell from the living to the dead.

I looked up at Galadriel.

"Say it may not happen," I gasped, standing up straight and watching the image of myself and Annia's dead body fade away. "Say I can save her."

"I am sorry, young Prince," she said. "I know what it is you saw, for I too have seen it many times. It is what you fear, and something in my heart tells me this; that no matter how hard you try to bring the woman you love away from this fate, it will come to pass. You cannot change it. What you have seen in this glass will come to pass, no matter what."

"Then she must return to her own world," I said. "She cannot die."

"The wounds she bore are her own doing, Legolas," said Galadriel, fixing me with the piercing stare of her blue eyes. "It was her own hand which inflicted each of those upon herself."

"She...she tried to kill herself? But why? Why would she?" I sat down on the ground, unable to keep my legs from folding under me.

"I cannot tell why these wounds are there, nor how she made them. But I do know that if she had not she would have killed herself from guilt. This will be something she has to do. Do not blame her when the time is nigh." I shook my head frantically. The images of the dream were still too fresh, Ania, different but more beautiful, laughing, and our daughter...and us, together, a happy mother, father, and child.

"Look into the glass again."

I took a deep breath and leaned in. This scene was in my home, it seemed. I could see myself, sitting alone on a double throne. The doors opened; I saw a young elf-maid rush in, and throw herself into my arms. She was crying out, "Promise me not to fade, ada. Promise you won't fade."

How was it that I could hear her?

The image faded again, and I was standing at a battle. I could hear screams and shouts and clashes, and I saw a girl on a tower. She seemed to be chained; someone approached her, released her, and held out his hands to her. Fear crossed her face at once; she shook her head. The man was approaching; she looked around wildly, and then leaped for the edge of the tower. As she fell, I could see she was wearing Annia's gold locket.

I then saw myself again. I seemed much older; my golden hair was now silver. I boarded a boat; a white-headed dwarf got in beside me. I saw at once that it was Gimli, and the two of us waved to a single elf standing alone on the shore. At once she cried out, "Ada! Ada, wait! Don't go without me!"

She rushed into the water. "Ada! Ada please! You promised! You promised me!"

She hauled herself onto the boat and cast herself into my arms. "Ada, Naneth left me, Estelin left me, so did Nimloth and Araviniel. I'm the last of the family, ADA. Don't leave me in middle-earth all alone."

"You are not alone, my flower. You have your husband, and your three little elflings. They need you, my Ayiel. Go."

"Ada, if you leave me...I'll fade if you leave me, ada."

"Did I once tell you never to speak of fading in grief for me?"

"I can't help it. I started to fade every time someone died. When Estelin died I nearly did. If you go I will fade."

"I have to go, my Ayiel. Naneth is waiting for me in the Halls of Mandos. I promise you, in twenty years, you may come as well."

"I never thought that twenty years could ever be such a long time."

"Stay, my dear. Stay for your elflings."

With that, the boat disappeared.

* * *

"And all of this is to come to pass?" I said.

"If you wish the last to ever take place," said Galadriel, making me remember the horrific first image of Annia's death, "do your duty, Legolas Thranduilon, or Middle-Earth will fall. For the death of Estelin is to save it from its last darkness; and if she never comes to be, so much more will not either."

"I will not let my daughter die," I said fiercely. "Whether it be for the greater good or not."

"You will not have a choice."


	14. Taking the hobbits to isengard

Annia POV

When we left Lothlorien I was strangely relieved; obviously, I knew what was coming; that being Amon Hen, the death of Boromir, and the kidnapping of Merry and Pippin. One pleasant thing that had happened in Lorien was the fact that Legolas had given me a beautiful mithril necklace with a pendant of a bird sitting among some leaves. Then Galadriel had given us our gifts, and my own was a clear crystal phial like she had given to Frodo, except that mine gleamed black. She had told me that it was the light of a dark star, which could repel any enemy you had. It was absolutely beautiful, as if crystal bottle had been filled to the brim with black glass.

As we made our way down the river, I knew who would be following. Sometimes I thought I could see him behind us in the woods or even on a log floating in the river. But Gollum was indeed a hard creature to spot, even if you knew he was there; and I wasn't exactly sure where he was.

"Legolas," I whispered softly when I had become simply too on edge, "Gollum is following us".

He nodded and looked surprised. "How did you know?"

"You know me, I just know things," I said softly. Then I yawned. "I'm so tired. When are we going to stop?" My arms were aching from rowing the boat.

"Lie down and sleep," he said. "I can do it alone."

I thanked him with a weary hug and then curled up in the space between two benches, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

* * *

We became aware of the Orcs sooner than they knew that we had.

When we began to fight, Legolas pushed me into a hollow tree with a sword. I protested, of course, but he said I had to stay there. The moment he was out of sight I wriggled out of the tree and ran to the place where Boromir was fighting. Keeping myself well out of sight, I watched him, closing my eyes halfway. I knew I could not save him from being shot; there were just too many of them. So when it was time, and I knew what I must do, I left my hiding place and ran swiftly to him. He was bleeding so badly-I didn't know one person could bleed so much.

"Boromir! Boromir, it's Annia, do you hear me?"

"Yes, I hear you. Go find the others. Go after the halflings-"

I shook my head. "Boromir, I need you to be quiet, just for a moment." I searched for his three arrow wounds and found them. I quickly removed the first two, knowing I had perhaps one minute before the wounds came to me. He realized what I was doing and struggled. "No, Annia. Are you insane? You'll die!"

"Boromir, I've already taken two. I'm going to die anyway now, and unless you let me take that last one we both will."

"No."

"Do you want me to die in vain?" I said. "To know as you die that my life was lost needlessly and if you just let me take that one wound, mine would have been worth it."

He nodded and lay back, though his eyes were pleading me not to do it. Resolutely, I took the last wound, and then stood up, hauling him up with me.

"Come on, let's go back to the others."

I hadn't taken three steps when the first wound hit me. "Ahh-"

"Annia," Boromir came swiftly to my side, even though I could see he was weak from loss of blood.

Then came the second. "OH, God, Boromir-"

When the third came I was being carried by Boromir, and I had one more second of pain before I blacked out and knew no more.

* * *

Legolas POV

When I came back to the hollow tree in which I had told Annia to hide, I saw at once that she was gone. In a panic I called to Aragorn, and we searched, but didn't find her. My heart was nearly standing still. It seemed that Galadriel had been right after all; and then I heard Aragorn shout and point upward.

"Boromir!"

He was staggering as he walked, and he was soaked in blood. He was carrying-Annia.

Aragorn rushed toward him, gently taking her from his arms, and as Boromir swayed, he handed her to me. I looked down at her, knowing now what the grief that kills elves is like. I placed my hand gently over the worst wound and then asked Boromir, "What happened?"

"I was shot," he said. "And then she came and quickly took two of the wounds. When I realized what she was doing, I tried to stop her-I tried, so hard. but she-she would not listen. And then she took the third, and we began walking back. They hit her, one at a time, and so I carried her back." With that, he fainted.

I picked Annia up gently and looked sorrowfully at the three wounds; one for each arrow.

"Why do you always come back to me dying, Annia? You see the pain of others and you take it for yourself. Why?"

"I'm tougher than you think, Legolas," said Annia, her voice rasping. "This is why I was sent here. To save innocent souls. He was the first. And there will be more."

"I will not let you."

"This is not your choice," said Annia, looking up at me with dimming eyes. "He would have died. I know it."

"So I watch you die instead." My voice was bleak and slightly angry.

"Yes," she whispered. "If that is the will of Fate let it be so."

"By killing yourself, Annia, you will also kill me," I said, my mind screaming that this was wrong, that this wasn't supposed to be, that we were meant to live and to be happy. "Elves cannot live with broken hearts."

"What am I to you that you should die missing me?"

"You are everything," I said. "And I have watched you, time and again, put that own mortal life of yours at stake. You know everything that is going to happen..."

"Legolas..." she wheezed, trying to ignore the pain from the arrow wounds on her body, "I have seen Boromir fall more than fifty times. Did you think that this one time where it was real, I was going to sit back and do nothing?"

"The Morgul blade. Frodo and the spear. And now him. Annia, you are only a child. How much can you bear?"

Her eyes were making a valiant effort to stay open. I could see it. "No-Annia, please, don't leave me-"

"I can bear..." whispered Annia, "...as much as I have to." Her eyes flickered closed and did not open again.

"But you-I love you! I love you! Do you hear me, Annia?" I gently laid the poor little body down and lay down beside her, staring up at the sky.

A small sigh made me start up, in time to hear Annia say with her last breath, "And I love you, Legolas." She pulled the necklace I had given her away and laid it in my hand. "It is not mine...not anymore."

"It will always be yours," I said fiercely, placing it back around her neck. "Like I will."

"Legolas!" shouted Gimli. "Frodo and Sam-they're gone!"

"I know," I said. I had seen them disappearing into the forest on the other side of the river. "Our path is to follow Merry and Pippin now."

"We can save her," said Aragorn, seeming not to have heard me or Gimli. "The Dunedain of the North could do this-join their energy with those of others and heal those on the brink of death. Legolas, place one hand on my shoulder, Gimli, you on the other. Now, will your energy into me-and I will force it to heal her."

I stood up and placed my hand on Aragorn's right shoulder, and willed all the life force I had within me into my hands and into Aragorn's shoulder. I stood there for a long time indeed, before I heard Annia take a deep breath. She lay there stunned for a few moments, and then tried to get up.

"I'm alive," she said.

I threw myself down beside her and kissed her until she looked like a rose. Then I pressed her to me. "Never, never, never do that to yourself again," I said. Then I found myself crying. It did not matter that the others were there, but that Annia and I were together, and she was safe for now was enough.

"Come along, you two," said Gimli disapprovingly. "There will be time for lovey-dovey thanks LATER if you please. We've got hobbits to find and a veritable army of Uruk-hai to track."

"He is right, you know," said Annia, smiling against my neck. "We should go after the hobbits."

So we got up, but Annia could not stand. "I think the strength of performing the spell itself is going to take a while to come back," she said, wincing as she held my arm for support.

I lifted her up. "Sleep now. You have been through enough already."

"Thank you Lego..." And she fell asleep before she finished her sentence. Aragorn managed to wake Boromir from his faint, and we began walking with me carrying Annia, Boromir's arm draped over Aragorn's shoulders, and Gimli carrying our meager belongings.

* * *

When we reached the peak of a hill, I looked north and saw that the Uruk-Hai were moving in the unmistakable direction of Isengard. "They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

To my surprise, Annia began to laugh. She laughed until she cried and was gasping desperately for air.

"What is so funny?" I asked. "Heaven knows what can befall Merry and Pippin in there!"

"Where I come from we have a song called "Taking the hobbits to Isengard.""

"And who sings it?"

"You, Celeborn, and Gollum, I think. It is hilarious. And there's also Trolling Saruman."

"Strange customs you have in your world," I said. I loved her very much indeed, but sometimes she really puzzled me.


	15. Sa Chanson

a"What news from the north, Riders of Rohan?"

The Riders turned with astonishing speed, and before I knew it they were circling us. I felt extremely uncomfortable at not having my bow in my hands, but I was holding Annia and she was asleep.

"What business do an Elf, two men, a human woman, and a dwarf have in these lands?" said a young Rider, coming slightly forward. "What are your names."

"We are Aragorn, son of Arathorn; Boromir son of Denethor; Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland Realm. and the woman is Annia River, who takes the pain of others upon herself. We were fighting a band of Uruk-hai and she was sorely hurt healing Boromir. We managed to heal her wounds, but she is still very weak," said Aragorn.

"We killed the Uruk-hai band in the night," said the man.

"There were two hobbits!" cried Gimli. "Did you see two hobbits?"

"They would be small," said Aragorn. "Only children to your eyes."

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." He clicked his tongue, and four horses were brought forth. "Take them, and may they bring you more luck than came to their former masters. I am sorry about your friends."

With that the riders galloped away, and I could feel my heart sinking. Merry and Pippin dead...gone...

Somberly, we went over to the pile, looking for any signs of the two hobbits. Suddenly Gimli stooped and pulled out something that looked like a charred grey rope until I leaned forward and saw what it was.

"It's one of their wee belts," he said, his voice trembling. "We've failed them."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHH!" shouted Aragorn, kicking an orc head several feet into the air. Then he fell to his knees, and looked at the place where he was sitting.

"A hobbit lay here," he said, and then poked about a little more. "And the other. Their hands were tied..."

He crawled a little further, where there was a length of rough rope lying in the grass. "Their bonds were cut...and they crawled...their feet were bound too...and they were freed." Aragorn at once began to follow marks in the grass. "They ran..." Then he looked up and saw where the tracks were leading, without a doubt.

"Into Fangorn," he said.

"What madness drove them in here?" asked Gimli.

"Come. Let us go." So we went in.

We had not been walking very far when Gimli saw a black, wet spot on a leaf. He touched it gingerly and applied his finger to his tongue. "Pah! orc blood."

Boromir, still somewhat tired, needed an arm to steady him. The cause of this was the blood he had lost between the time he had been wounded and the time Annia had healed him, as well as the aftermath of the pain. Suddenly, I became aware of something-a presence. I could see, smell, and hear nothing except the rustle of the leaves and the creaking of the tree limbs, but I had an overwhelming knowledge that some terribly great force was nearby.

"Aragorn, nad no ennas." (Something's out there.)

"What do you see?" he breathed.

"The white wizard approaches," I said, for I knew now that was who it was.

"We must give him no time to speak. He may cast a spell on us," said Aragorn. "Lay Annia down here." I laid her down gently and then we sprang at him. My arrows were deflected; Aragorn's sword grew hot in his hand and he dropped it; Boromir's grew a mouth and tried to bite him. If we had not been in such a dire situation, I would have found that extremely amusing.

Then the glow around the white-robed figure faded, and I found myself looking at a familiar figure greatly changed.

"It cannot be," said Aragorn. "You fell."

"Through fire and water. Long and hard I fought my enemy upon that peak, until I smote my enemy down and cast his ruin down upon the mountainside. Darkness took me...and I strayed out of time and thought. I saw stars and suns...I've been sent back, until my task is done."

He looked at us, and then his eyebrows creased. "But where is the tenth? Where is Annia?" He looked at Boromir and surmised in a moment why he was so weak. "No, no, do not tell me. She died healing Boromir at Amon Hen. How terrible it is that we should lose the youngest life we had among us."

"She is alive," I said, hurriedly returning to the place where I had left her, picking her up, and carrying her back to the clearing. "Here she is. The spell weakened her terribly; Aragorn saved her life."

"I seem to see that there is something between the two of you," said Gandalf, his mouth trying to keep from smiling as he surveyed the two of us and watched me brush a lock of loose hair back from Annia's forehead.

"You do not know the half of it, Gandalf!" cried Gimli. "After Amon Hen we were hard-pressed to stop these two from embracing so we could begin on our journey. And Legolas dreams about her, every night."

"What?" _How could Gimli know that? _"I do _not _dream about her every night."

"My friend, you should now be so embarrassed," said Aragorn with a smile. "You have confessed your love for her; I believe you should admit it now."

"But-how do you know what I've been dreaming about?" I asked Gimli curiously.

"You called her name in your sleep, laddie," said Gimli. "As if you were broken and dying. It was so pitiful to hear you calling for her not to leave you, crying out that you would be hers forever if only she remained alive."

"Great," I muttered, a phrase I had picked up from Annia. "Now I talk in my sleep."

"I hope you will be happy, Legolas," said Gandalf. "She is indeed a wonderful woman."

It was at this moment Annia awoke. I bent and kissed her. "How are you, meleth nin?"

"Still thinking about trolling Saruman," she said with a small smile. "And taking the hobbits to Isengard."

Gandalf laughed. "You are thinking about setting trolls on Saruman?"

She smirked. "He would run in fear from this song. He sings the same thing over and over and over again for ten whole hours."

"Would you sing the Isengard song for us while we walk?" asked Gimli seriously.

She gasped, and then began to shake with laughter. "Gimli, you don't know what you are getting into."

I laughed. "She's right, Gimli, you probably don't."

Gimli grinned. "Let it fly, Lassie."

"All right." She took a deep breath.

"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

The hobbits, the hobbits, the hobbits, the hobbits

To Isengard! to Isengard!

The hobbits, the hobbits, the hobbits, the hobbits

To Isengard! to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

Gard, g-g-g-gard!

Tell me, where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him.

Tell me, where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him.

A balrog of Morgoth. What did you say? A balrog of Morgoth.

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!'

Gard, g-g-g-gard!

Tell me, where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him.

Tell me, where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him.

A balrog of Morgoth. What did you say? A balrog of Morgoth.

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!'

STUPID FAT HOBBIT!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!

STUPID FAT HOBBIT!

STUPID FAT HOBBIT!"

Gimli howled with laughter. "The tune is very funny, but what does it all _mean_? And who talks about stupid fat hobbits?"

"Gollum. And it doesn't mean anything at all, really. You remember the movies we watched at my house? Well, someone clipped random scenes, and replayed them over and over again to make a ten-hour video. And it's basically just Legolas, Celeborn, and Gollum singing this song over and over again."

"Which lines are mine?" I said, laughing with her.

"Well, Taking the hobbits to Isengard and a balrog of Morgoth. What did you say and stupid fat hobbit are Gollum's; and 'Tell me where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him,' is Celeborn, obviously.

"So he gets the most dignified line, I see." said Gandalf with a smile. "How amusing your world happens to make us look."

Annia did not answer. She had fallen asleep again.

I kissed her nose. "I love you, my Annia."

Gimli rolled his eyes. "Here he goes again."

* * *

So, I know nothing really happens in this chapter and I apologize, I just felt like sticking a humorous one in :P

I'm not mad at you for posting that on fanfiction, Vic ;) I love you all the more and I promise to be your first reviewer. I'm better now, thanks to your soup.

THANK YOU ALL MY REVIEWERS! Love you all! Love you too Victor! With all my heart. 3


	16. Edoras

ANNIA POV

* * *

When we approached Rohan, we saw at once that something had happened to its people. Most of them wore black, as if they were in mourning for loved ones who had died. The people were thin, and their eyes were large. The sight of the children was perhaps what haunted me the most of all, for instead of smiling and laughing, even the babies in their mothers' arms looked pale and drawn.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard," muttered Gimli as we entered through the gate.

I sighed. I knew, of course, why Rohan was so miserable. "I know."

"Lassie, I have to tell you something," he said, with the tone that meant he had been thinking about this spcch for quite some time.

"What is that?"

"Do not dare to break Legolas's heart," he said seriously. "Do not leave him, and DO NOT get yourself killed, or he will die. And I do not mean to have my dearest friend die so long before his time."

"I will never leave him. But I cannot promise anything about dying," I said. "With what's going to happen now...I think I'm going to be the first to die in the battles to come."

Gimli stared at me sternly. "Don't say that. You are a woman and we won't make the mistake of letting you heal anyone of major wounds this time. And if you are under the impression that Legolas will let you fight, that will be the largest error of rationality that you ever made."

I sighed. "I hope that plan works for your sake."

As we approached the citadel of Meduseld, I saw a beautiful young woman in white standing outside, watching a flag being whipped away from its post and drifting down to the ground. She saw us and then promptly ran inside. It was, as I knew, Eowyn, and I wanted to meet her. She would be the first woman I had seen since Galadriel and some other elf-maidens whom I had glimpsed while the ten of us were in Lothlorien.

When we walked up the steps, the doorwarden stepped up and said, "I cannot allow you before the king so armed."

Galdalf looked around at us and nodded. Legolas handed over his bow and two daggers, Aragorn his sword and dagger, Boromir handed over his sword, and Galdalf his own. I had my own dagger strapped to my thigh, but Galadriel had given it to me after I had looked at the glass, and not even the others knew about it. Leglas looked at me as if asking _Do you have a weapon? _and I responded with a nod and a tiny shake of my head. He seemed to understand, and, taking my hand, we walked into the hall.

"What ill wind brings you now, Galdalf Stormcrow?" said the king. I looked at him in shock. He was almost a corpse, white in skin, hair, and garment, and he had the appearance of a very powerfully built man whose muscles had shrunk.

I didn't pay attention during the discourse between Grima and Gandalf, because there was a very strong voice in my head which blocked everything.

_I see you, Annia River, child of another world, the one with the future in her eyes. _

_Who are you? _I asked it. _What business do you have here? People don't just invade my mind and tell me things about myself that I already know, thank you very much._

_You know the outcome of this war, Annia, and if you aid me, I can give you what you want most. _

_You know nothing of what I want most. I think i know who you are, and if you are who I think you are, you know nothing about what I want or what I love or basically anything about my life._

_Not even the love of the one who you know hates you now?_

At once there was something that sounded like a hiss of laughter. Then I was presented with an image of myself as a ten-year-old being hugged fiercely by Jen.

And I understood immediately. _That wasn't Kevin who spoke all those words. It was you! It was you who came back to me in his shape! And Jen-I ought to have known that Jen would never say those words to me! Jen loves me, that's what she told me, that she loves me, and she's said so every day to me for twenty years. YOU might have forever, Saruman, but Jen has done nothing but care for me during my twenty years of life, and one chance encounter with you is never going to splinter the trust between us. You can never understand, because you want power. But I can tell you this. You will be dead long before the end of this whole affair, and-_

_And you will be dead. You will be killed. I have foreseen it. _

_Hah, I thought as much. One, I know nothing about battle, and two, I'm a human! I'm probably going to die in twenty years in this world, as humans don't live much longer unless they are of Aragorn's race. I'm not afraid of death like you are, Saruman. I don't even fear Sauron every moment of the day that you do, because I've not sold myself to his service. I serve only one king, and he is the greatest of all the kings who ever set his foot or hand upon this world. And I have faith in the Ringbearer. _

The presence withdrew from my mind. I immediately perceived that I couldn't see, but I could hear someone saying, "I draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." I stepped towards the voice, and raised my arms, although I seriously had no inkling of what the heck I was doing. Some power seemed to be stirring in my veins, and I held out my arms and let it pour out. It seemed to be more like memories; Jen feeding me a bowl of applesauce on my first birthday, my mother taking me on the swings for the first time, me as a three-year-old horseback riding for the first time, holding tightly to the horse's mane and squealing with laughter, my father swinging me up in the air...all the joys, all the beauty that I had seen, I projected it at the trapped soul of this king. Gandalf had not stopped his work, but he was growing puzzled that it was getting so easy, I think. My legs seemed to be turning to water as I stood there, and when at last the thing was done, my vision returned, and I smiled. This was a healing that had not cost me much, only some strength. The king looked at me and at Gandalf.

The voice in my mind boomed out again, stronger than ever. _You have not seen the last of me, Annia River. _

Then I heard the king ask, "Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"

* * *

After Eowyn had led her uncle to Theodred's body and grieved with him for a little while, she took me off to a little room next to hers. As she was leaving, she quickly returned. "Is it true that you can heal with a touch of your hands?"

"Yes, my lady," I said, sitting on the bed.

She smiled in pure joy and relief and ran out of the room, returning with a little girl. There appeared to be a wound in her left shoulder. I lifted her blouse and said, "That must hurt."

"It isn't very deep, Lady Annia," said Eowyn hopefully. "She was struck by an arrow that glanced off something else. You can heal her?"

"Yes...but...I will want bandages." Eown promptly brought a box full of them, and seemed a bit confused at my request.

I unlaced the bodice of my dress, and slipped my arms out of my sleeves. The two watched me, puzzled as to what I was doing. I firmly bandaged the place where I knew the child's wound would appear on my own body, cursing the fact that it was also the place where I'd healed Frodo months ago. Then I put my arms back in my sleeves, placed my hand gently over the girl's wound, and willed my energy to flow to her and her wound to come to me. Within three seconds, the girl's wound was gone and Eowyn was thanking me profusely.

"Is it very tiring to heal?"

I smiled slightly, pulling down my dress's neckline to show her my already bloodstained bandage. "Yes, but it also hurts."

Eowyn looked stricken with guilt. "You never told me that. I never knew the wounds come to you."

"That is all right. No child should have to bear any more pain than the cuts and scrapes that they all do. These wounds,"-here I gestured at my chest-"are only to be borne by those who are willing, not by those who mistakenly fell in their way."

"You must be a celebrated healer in your own world, lady Annia," said Eowyn in awe.

I laughed. "Well, I'm a pre-medical student-studying to be a healer, if you will-but I've done nothing great as of yet. I don't have this ability there, it's something I only have here."

Eowyn sat on the edge of my bed. She took my hands. "I am so grateful to you. The child's wound was unseen to for a long while and infection had set in, but it came to you as a fresh wound, did it not?"

I nodded. "It comes in the state that it was inflicted. I will not get an infection now. I will look after it carefully."

"Are you married?" she asked me at once.

"Me? No!" I exclaimed. "Why would you think so?"

"You are wearing the necklace of an elven bride," she pointed out. "I don't know much about the elves, but that necklace is worn by an elven woman for the first twenty years after her marriage, after which she lays it away and does not put it on again unless she is widowed."

"I..." My words trailed off. "Is the...giving...of this necklace considered to be as binding as marriage?"

"At least a betrothal," said Eowyn with a firm nod.

"And does the woman give anything to the man?"

"Mostly not, but sometimes a mithril-ring. That is only done in the highest nobility, though, and if the woman has the higher status in the marriage."

"Can you...can you ask the Elf to come here?" I asked.

Eowyn looked surprised. She nodded and rushed off, returning in a moment with Legolas, and then leaving the room.

"Why did you give me the necklace without telling me?" I asked at once.

"Because I wished to have the right to protect, live, and die for you," he said, sitting down on the bed beside me. He looked me up and down. "You are tired-oh!" It was at that moment that the blood soaked through to my dress. "You healed someone again?"

I nodded, weariness suddenly overtaking me. "Don't be cross. I healed a child who had an infected wound. It will stop bleeding soon, the wound was not very deep."

"Oh, Annia," he said. "Sleep now." I lay down, and he drew the blanket over me. I found that it made me colder than ever, and I began to shake violently. Legolas laid a concerned hand on my head. "You have done too much healing in the last few days-Boromir, Theoden-you are burning up with fever."

"Don't leave me alone," I said, sleep beginning to overtake me. "Stay here."

He nodded, and held me tightly. Warmth began to return to my limbs, and at last, I slept.


	17. Author's Note

Hello reviewers. This story is going to continue. DO NOT FREAK OUT! BUT I AM SERIOUSLY RUNNING IDEA-LOW.

PLEEASE HELP ME :(

Oh, yeah, Victor, I expect ten ideas before this day is out, or else... :)

Everybody PM me if you have any! or just review. ;)


	18. The Night

Legolas POV

* * *

I continued to hold her as she slept. Her temperature was very high; I had asked Eowyn to bring a jug of cool water and a cloth.

"She will be all right, won't she?" she asked, as the two of us sponged her down.

"She took on three arrow wounds recently, healed your uncle, and it seems that healing the child was simply too much. I know it was a small wound, but it appeared in the very place where she took on the wound of a Morgul-blade some months past," I said. "She does too much for her own good."

"You love her, do you not?" I wondered how Eowyn had guessed this so quickly, but I supposed the fact that she was a woman had something to do with it.

"With all my heart and soul," I said, letting my cloth drop back into the jug. Then Eowyn inspected Annia. "I do not think too much cold water will be good for her, my lord. The fever is cooling, and if we were to chill her now we would surely impede her recovery. Let her sleep; she will be all right in the morning." She left me, and I too fell asleep on the chair beside Annia's bed.

* * *

In the middle of the night, I awoke.

When I looked at the bed beside me, I saw at once that it was empty; I rushed across the room and stared out into the night, searching...and finally my eyes found what they sought. It was Annia, dancing under the moonlight. I stiffened; did she not know the danger of being out alone? Orcs could ride up at any moment, and in her state she could do nothing about it, even if she were healthy. I slipped out of the window and ran lightly over the grass to her. When she turned to me, I saw that her eyes were wide open, just as they had been that night we were camping before Lothlorien. She was speaking, too; not to an unseen person, but rather to herself.

"A whole scene...yes, the famous 'what the devil was he doing there,'...he took a whole scene from you! All this time, to be struck down by a lacquey wielding a log. You walk in the light, and I in the shadows; I will make you eloquent, and you will make me beautiful. It's a scheme to intrigue any poet!" This didn't make any sense to me whatsoever.

"Of what do you speak?" I whispered, knowing she would not answer.

"If all else perished, and _he_ remained, _I_ should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.—My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I _am_ Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."

Her voice was changing every time she seemed to speak of something different.

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow  
Between the crosses, row on row,  
That mark our place; and in the sky  
The larks, still bravely singing, fly  
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago  
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,  
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,  
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:  
To you from failing hands we throw  
The torch; be yours to hold it high.  
If ye break faith with us who die  
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow  
In Flanders fields."

"Annia?" I said softly. She seemed not to hear me.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."

She was beginning to frighten me. What was she talking about, the one born to vanquish Sauron would be born as the seventh month died? Was she a prophetess? She was now standing entirely still, her eyes uplifted, and I could see the moon reflected in them. "Kill me now, and end this."

The words were directed straight at me.

"Annia, please," I said, darting towards her as she trembled. "Don't do this-let me take you back to your room." I caught her in my arms and began to lift her up to carry her back to her room.

But she was having none of it.

"I shall lay myself before you, and my purity will shrivel your sullied mind. Take me. I am here. I am defenseless. The only ones I can heal are others; were you to run me through where I stand, I would fall without preamble, have, perhaps, a moment before my death. You believe that you did well; but fate will follow its course. I shall see this done...do you hear me, I will see it done."

Her eyes then widened, and seemed at first to see the night around her. Wondering if it was safe to approach, I tentatively took one step nearer. Now she was calling out something which chilled my bones.

"I know not what course you may take, but as for me, give me liberty...or give me death! Four score and seven years ago..."

I had often heard that it was unsafe to wake sleepwalkers suddenly, and it was clear to me that Annia had absolutely no idea what she was doing.

She fell.

Onto the ground she fell, and then she screamed out, "Papa! Papa! Don't leave me! I'm not ready! Stay, oh, God, please stay!"

Then she looked at me. I could tell that she was awake now, and then she broke down into sobs, burying her face in my shoulder and wrapping her arms around me. I could smell her tears.

"What did you see?" I asked her softly, holding her close to me.

"Many, many things. I saw a man dying of a head wound, contemplating a scheme which would allow him to bring joy to his love...I heard a woman predicting the downfall of a legendary villain from my world...and I saw myself...standing bound, hand and foot, in front of Saruman. And then, my father-oh, my father!" Her sobs were renewed and she shook.

"When did your father die?" I asked her.

"Two years ago. He and my mother were flying by airplane to see me where I lived. The plane crashed; he died later in the hospital, and my mother lived. I was able to see him before the end, but the doctors couldn't do anything for him-and I couldn't do anything either. I was before Saruman, coolly stating that there was nothing he could offer me. And then he offered me the chance to go back in time, and heal my father...if only I would give my soul to him, and all the knowledge that I have of the war that is to come. He forced me to see the last two minutes, when he was dying, and all the doctors were frantic-and I watched his heart monitor just go _flat-_and he was _dead."_

"Never sell your soul to anyone," I said, feeling her panicked heartbeat resounding within me and my own jumping to meet its pace. "You still have a fever-and why did you call out for me to kill you?"

"Was that real?" she asked vaguely as I helped her to her feet. When I nodded, she said, "Because I wanted you to. I don't want to see the dying, hear them calling out in my mind to be saved. I can perhaps save one, maybe two or three, but no more. I wouldn't survive. A quick death now...would be better."

"You must not say that," I almost shouted. "Do you not realize how precious life is, Annia? You are young, you are loved, and you-" I could not bear it, thinking about her dying after being convinced for ten terrible minutes a few days ago that she was dying. How could a mortal be so stupid? We were elves, we lived forever, and how could this slight human girl so calmly throw her life away after seeing only twenty years of it, and knowing that she had perhaps at the most sixty more of them? How was life so precious to us, who had seen summer after summer and year after year, and so troublesome and worthless to her?

"I was sent here to _give_ life," she said softly. "To give it _away, _to return it to those who had nearly lost it. Not to bear it, as is the fate of some women. I can tell you that many people will fall before this journey's end, and with them, so must I, for there will be one healing I will do that will sap my strength like a bat sucking blood." She looked as if she knew who it was she would heal, as well. Her hand strayed to her bandaged chest. "And I...I will do it willingly. It is my fate here to change what should not have happened. Legolas, you will never be happy in loving me, unless you accept that before the next two or three months are over, I am going to die."

"You...oh, never say that. I will not let you."

"You saw a vision of our child, didn't you, Legolas? So did I."

"At least allow her the chance to exist, meleth-nin."

"It was only to tell you what you were going to lose," she said sadly. "And If we ever do have children-our second child is marked for death."

"That does not mean that we cannot save her," I said, feeling my throat tighten. It was strange to consider, that though we had no children, we felt such grief over the future death of one.

"I would like nothing better than...to do that, side by side, with you," she said with a faint smile.

"Then marry me," I said. "Promise to be my wife, and we shall battle this world together."

Her hand went to the necklace that I had given her. "Do not hold me back from what I know I must do, Legolas."

"I promise, I promise," I murmured into her hair.

She raised her head and firmly pressed her lips against mine. When she pulled away, we were both out of breath.

"Then," she said, "I am yours, and will give you all of myself which is mine to give."

* * *

Omniscient POV

Gimli was watching the two from his window. When he saw them embracing, he motioned to Aragorn, who came swiftly to it and peered out into the night.

"I only hope that they will be happy together," he said softly. Gimli gave him a consoling pat on the shoulder. "If it's any help, Aragorn, you are a great deal more sensible over the Lady Arwen than Legolas is over Annia."

Aragorn laughed.

* * *

Annia POV

The world seemed so beautiful. It seemed as if there were butterflies filling me. I was happy. I was loved; with Legolas, I could simply _be. _My thoughts drifted to the dreams of the two little half-elven girls I had had; one with my black hair and Legolas's bright blue eyes, and the other a mere baby with his hair and my wide brown eyes. They were beautiful. I had held them in my arms, and marveled over the fact that they were both mine, my daughters, my children.

And as I lay that night in Legolas's arms I knew without doubt that both of them would come to be. Ayiel and Estelin, beautiful without measure, and perfect in my eyes, just because they were ours.


	19. Legolas's Plan

The next morning, I woke up still tangled up in Legolas's arms. We were leaving for Helm's Deep that day; and I knew the death I was going to have to see by the next night. My thoughts strayed to my words of the night before. Who would I heal? Everyone had heard of my powers, men would come to me wounded and look at me as their last hope, believing and trusting that I could preserve their lives. And I knew I had to do my duty until I dropped dead.

There was no other way.

I turned my head slightly to the face of the elf beside me. One of his arms lay beneath my head, the other over my waist. I lifted that hand and held it, studying it. It was smooth and perfect, not callused like mine. I had grown up as a farm girl, and I had seen my share of calluses, scrapes, and injuries by the time I was ten. My hands were large, hard and rough; his were longer, more delicate, and definitely smoother. I remembered my dreams again, and realized over again that my euphoria of the previous night was simply unwarranted. True, I had Legolas. And it was true that I had foreseen the birth of our two daughters, but that future could never be, not now. But he wouldn't have me after tomorrow. The thought hit me with an absolute finality; tomorrow was my last day on this earth-but who knew where I might end up after I died. I had only one more day with my love before we were parted.

The thought wrung a sob from my throat. I thought of what Jen would have had to say to that back when we were children. "For heaven's sake, don't be such a pansy, Annia!" I nodded, and thought, _You're right, Jen. It's no time to be a pansy now. _I'd only heard Jen ever scream or cry twice; the first time was when our father died, and the second was the day Violet was born. I listened to her crying out for three hours straight while I sat huddled up outside her hospital room. Her husband, the doctor, the nurses, and our mother had begged her to take an epidural or have a Cesarian section, because Violet was born in a breech position, but Jen was determined that she was going to bring Violet into the world herself, without anybody else's help. I had admired her courage; I still did. I knew I could never face that. If Jen could face childbirth without any medication, I could face a quick death. She was strong. And I had to be, too.

"Good morning, meleth-nin," said Legolas. I opened my eyes and looked into his. They seemed to search me, and a moment later, I had the evidence. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"No." _Why did he have to be so good at that?_

"Do not lie to me. There is something in your face. There _is _something the matter, isn't there?"

I sighed. "Legolas...I just want you to remember, tomorrow, that whatever happens I love you, and that I was happy." He took a moment to comprehend my words, and when he did, he said,

"You know when?"

"Tomorrow," I whispered.

"Then, do not worry," he said, threading his fingers through mine. "You will not have to wait long before I join you."

"WHAT?! NO! The others need you! Merry and Pippin! Aragorn! Gimli! Don't you dare join me, Legolas Greenleaf!"

"Technically, that is your last name now," he said with a laugh. I batted that comment away. "Maybe. It's true, I'm your wife, but THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME! AND I SAY NO! YOU CANNOT FADE! I FORBID IT! IF YOU DO I WILL HAUNT YOU TO HELL, SO DON'T YOU DARE!"

He looked taken aback. I sighed and collapsed back onto the bed. "If you die, everything I lived for will be worthless and gone. And think about your father, Legolas. You are his only son, how could you ever fade?"

A light came into his eyes. He hugged me. "You are right. And this day shall be your happiest on this world. I promise you that, my love."

Now I was taken aback. "You...you're okay with it?"

He lightly kissed my hand. "I cannot be. I am not, and will not ever be. But I know that this is something you must do. And let this day be beautiful."

I threw myself into his arms. "Thank you, thank you."

* * *

The walk to Helm's Deep was very amusing. Eowyn and I talked and laughed, about any and everything from brothers to herbs to rabbits to dwarf women. This conversation was initiated by Gimli. Legolas and I were congratulated by many of the people we had come to know in Rohan, and at every time someone said, "good luck, Lady Annia," something inside me squeezed itself as small as possible and I was hard-put to keep from crying. It was so hard to know I was soon going to be parted from him...

* * *

Legolas POV

"Do you have it, my friend?" I heard Aragorn come up behind me.

From my pocket I pulled a packet of herbs. "When will you give it to her?"

"Before the battle."

"What will it do?" he asked me.

I swallowed. "It will make her fall asleep, and she will not awake for a day. If the battle is going to be as long as she says that it will, it will be enough time to get her somewhere safe and leave her there until all is over."

"Do you think it will be wise?" he asked.

"I do not care if it is wise," I said. I looked over to Annia where she walked with Eowyn. "I cannot watch her die, Aragorn. I know that others will die because of it, but her life is more precious to me. She has done so much already, Aragorn...too much."

"I hope it is truly the right choice," he said.

"There is nothing else I can do," I said, stuffing the herb packet back into my saddlebag.

"She will be angry when this is all over, Legolas. Prepare yourself for an oncoming tirade," he said with a laugh.

"She will be very angry at me, true. But she will be _alive._"


	20. His Plan Fails

ANNIA POV

* * *

When the Wargs caught up to us, Legolas did not let me stay; so Eowyn and I went on ahead with the others. I looked back into the distance as we walked and saw the great shapes of the wolves, falling this way and that under the arrows of a certain blond husband of mine. I turned my head away. I didn't know what Legolas was thinking by not allowing me to stay; there would be wounded that I needed to heal and they might not last until they reached the fortress.

"You love him very much, don't you?" said Eowyn.

"With everything I have in me," I said. "But...I will have to leave him soon." I sighed and closed my eyes. When I opened them, I saw that she was looking absolutely shocked.

"Why...why do you have to leave, then?" she asked.

"Because you know that when I heal the wounds come to me, and there will be many wounds I have to heal before the day is out. One will kill me somewhere along the way, Eowyn."

She sighed. "You are a friend of mine already. Please, do what you can, but stay alive. For I can see in his eyes how much he loves you, and he will surely die if you do."

"I have...oh, it's complicated. Let's just keep walking."

* * *

Legolas POV

When we reached Helm's Deep, I could feel a physical ache that ripped through me at every step.

Aragorn was gone.

I had never expected him to be the next to fall. My thoughts immediately leapt to Arwen; what would she do now? Sail for Valinor and find peace, or fade and die in Rivendell? But Aragorn's fall had made me even more determined to keep Annia safe.

When we reached the Deep, I searched for her before I did anything else. To my astonishment, I found her lying on one of the parapets with wide open glazed eyes. I pressed my fingers to her wrist and immediately jerked my hand away. Something in her pulse seemed to be sending small needles through my fingers when I touched her skin. She was lying utterly still, eyes blank. I could not suppress the fear that I felt whenever I saw her eyes like that; it was as if some foreign power was trying to speak through her body, saying things from her home world, and trying to make sense of this one. But she did not speak, and promptly she closed her eyes. I picked her up and began carrying her carefully down.

Now would be as good a time as any to give her the brew. When I reached the lower level, I saw Gimli barreling toward me in panic. "Is the lass all right?"

"I don't know, to be honest. She sometimes goes into these states where her eyes glaze and she says strange things."

As if to prove me right, Annia promptly began to speak.

"And we cannot touch her, for the elven blood in her body has laid a strange charm upon her; try as you might, she cannot be beaten, nor stabbed, or tortured in any way. She is protected by that small life she guards, my lord, and that is why nothing we do leaves a mark on the Lady Annia's body..." This was different. She was speaking as another-of herself.

"Laddie, you'd better give her the brew as soon as she wakes," said Gimli, looking sickened. "I doubt she will be in any state to heal, anyway."

Leaving her under his care, I made a cup of strong tea from the herbs that I had brought. I returned, hoping that Annia would be awake. She was, too, sitting by Gimli looking thoroughly dazed and disoriented.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"No," she said, running her hands over her head as if it pained her. "I've seen strange things. I saw myself wearing a white robe and...and being beaten with a heated rod."

I made a hissing sound and pulled her close, devoutly praying that she was not seeing the future.

"But somehow nothing they did left a mark on me; no one could touch me if they had the intention to hurt me, or any tool being used to do it. They were trying to torture information out of me, and they couldn't."

"Who?"

"Saruman and Wormtongue had me, but they could reach my mind, and I saw-oh, terrible things."

"Drink this," I said presently.

"What is it?"

"It is a tonic for the nerves, and will help with the visions," I said. I had not known how much it would hurt to lie to her.

"Thank you," she said, kissing my cheek softly. "I love you."

"And I love you." I said. I watched as she swallowed the brew quickly. The three of us got up, and Annia had not taken six steps before she crumpled. I caught her.

"You did quick work," Gimli commented as we consigned Annia to Eowyn's care and then went off to where we were needed. We soon saw the lady Eowyn flying toward us, joy in her eyes and her movements. "The lord Aragorn has returned," she cried out, and then dashed away again.

* * *

Annia POV

I awoke in a dark cave with the noises of other people close by. I didn't know where I was or how I had got there, but I knew that I must have passed out again.

_I have got to stop doing that. _

Suddenly, I became aware of a light before me. It was a very familiar figure; one I'd seen in my dreams for years. Everything was exactly as I remembered it; short black hair and a scrubby beard, wide, twinkling dark blue eyes like mine, a solid frame, and a smile etched on his lips.

"Is it you, Papa?"

"Yes, it's me, little one. Come on, hurry. We have to go."

"But where to?"

"To a place where you'll see and find out everything. You'd better be quick; I haven't got much time, and I'll fade away in about five minutes."

"What do I do?"

"Just take my hand." I reached out and took it, and immediately tried to pull away. This was not my father's hand. It did not even feel like a human hand. Rather if was as if there was skin stretched across nothingness. Before I heard the hated laugh break out, I knew exactly who it was, and where I was, and what was going to happen to me now.

"Wormtongue...order some iron heated for our guest," he said in a silkily malicious voice. He lazily waved a finger at me and I found myself bound with strong cords from my hands to my feet. Unable to stand, I fell onto the ground. This just seemed too Harry Potter-ish for my liking. I sighed.

"Saruman."

"Lady Annia," he said with mocking courtesy. "Now...are you going to talk, or am I going to have to use the brands?"

"Go ahead," I said, with a faint attempt at a smirk. "You can't hurt me."

When the hot irons did arrive, I didn't even brace myself. They fell upon me over and over again, and I heard gasps of astonishment as it became evident that I felt no pain and the irons were doing nothing to my body.

"You see, Saruman," I said, sitting up and batting away the brand with my fingers. The orc who had been wielding it was too astonished to resist, "you can't touch me. I'm protected from you."

"In all ways but one, my dear." He stood up and placed his hands over his palantir, and at once I could see nothing but Legolas in the battle of Helm's deep; and then him being shot through the heart with an orc arrow. I gasped, and as I was made to watch my father die yet again I screamed loudly. I think I heard myself pleading for it to stop, but far away, I could also feel the alarm of one person whom I in my stupidity had left behind.

* * *

So love to my reviewers again ;) yay I have a new one, number1scifigeek! nice name btw. The idea for this weirdo chapter was provided by Victor Earnshaw,

I seriously would love your input because I have only one idea left! NO! Please please? I would love your ideas! Dancing Chestnut, save me!

-The Diamond in the Rough


	21. really?

Legolas POV

* * *

When I returned after the battle, I saw at once that many of my kin had fallen. To my grief, so had Haldir; the two of us had grown up together.

In the tunnels, I saw Eowyn at once. Her eyes were wide and worried, and something shot through my heart then; I do not know rightly what it was.

"Annia has vanished," said Eowyn. "She disappeared before my eyes in a flash of white light."

I knew, at once, who was behind it.

Saruman.

* * *

Ok, I know that was the most pathetic, stupid, short, crazy, whatever you want to call it chapter but I have no more ideas! 'sobs' I have to go update my other stories and i really do not want to so please pleas please give me some ideas! i really need them!


	22. Saruman again?

Annia POV

I don't really remember a time when I felt like I did now. I think I had been drugged, and drugged heavily too. I didn't know how much time had passed since I'd woken to find myself in Saruman's keeping; didn't remember when I'd last had food or water, or even what I was doing there.

My head _hurt. _

Saruman had been more than slightly angry when he'd found that he couldn't touch me physically. Nobody knew why; not even I did. He had tried a variety of weapons; pikes, chains, belts, whips, brands, knives-everything he could think of, but none of it could touch me. He had found out that he could invade my mind, however; I'd been forced to see several terrible things, many times over, the foremost being the death of my father, and the death of Legolas.

"Are you ready to speak, or must you endure that again?" he asked me idly. I was chained against the wall, and could barely see his face from where I sat. He was sitting in a chair in front of the palantir.

"I'm bloody well not going to talk," I said. "Go ahead. Whatever I must bear, I can bear."

So he went at it again. I felt as if a hammer and tongs were at work in my head; I flickered in and out of consciousness, until I heard a high, cold, piercing voice. I didn't know whether it was in my head or somewhere else in the room, until I realized that it was coming from the palantir standing in the center.

"That is enough, Saruman. She has tasted neither food nor water for five days; give her some at once. If she should die...you might find me slightly...unsympathetic...to future errors you may make."

"Yes, my Lord. Slaga," he said, motioning to the orc who guarded the main door, "go fetch food. None of yours, mind, she wouldn't be able to stomach it and I don't doubt that it would poison her; some cheese and bread from my stores will do, along with a bowl of water."

The orc left the room. Saruman left his chair and came to stand over me. I stared deep into his black eyes, searching for some human aspect of them. As one could have expected, I miserably failed.

"Why do you persist in being so faithful to those people there?" he asked gently. I could hear a definite amused note in his voice. "Do you not even know why you awoke in those caves?"

I shook my head. I didn't care. I'd probably passed out as I'd often done after healing Boromir and Theoden, and someone had taken me in to the caves where the women and children were taking refuge.

"Do you want to see?"

I made no move. He flicked his fingers and the chains fell off me. "Stand."

I stood.

"Come to the palantir."

"No."

At once I felt as if an invisible rope had tied itself around my legs, forcing me to walk in a precarious and mannequin-like fashion to the palantir. When I reached it, Saruman passed one hand over it. I immediately saw an image of Legolas; not dying as I'd been forced to see him for the last five days, but very much alive. He was walking away from Gimli. Next to Gimli was none other than myself, unconscious. I saw Legolas look around furtively, strike a small fire, and heat a pan of water. When it boiled, he dumped in a packet of herbs, and stirred the brew for a few minutes. He then carried a cupful of this back to where Gimli was sitting; I saw myself stirring, and then shaken awake. He held the cup out to me; I downed it in one, and then the three of us began walking toward a flight of steps. I saw myself crumple down to the ground.

So that was why I'd passed out.

It was _Legolas _who had drugged me. Immediately, a thousand emotions rushed through me; disbelief, disappointment-and then sadness. How many people had died because he had put me out of action? I could have saved at least three people, maybe more if they were brought in extremely quick succession. It took about two minutes for a wound to come to me, and I could have done a great deal. But then I reminded myself that this could very well not be the case. My mind jumped at once to the Kevin and Jen I had seen back home, who were most certainly _not _Kevin or Jen-both of them had been Saruman, probably trying to make me go back with the Fellowship or kidnap me or whatever, I wasn't sure. But this could very well not be true. I forced myself to think of the image that Sauron had shown to Aragorn, the image of a dying Arwen. I still did not know if Arwen had really been that ill at that point or not, but I'd always thought she wasn't.

And I had to hold to that image now, no matter what.

"It doesn't matter," I said defiantly. "He was trying to keep me safe. Maybe I would have done the same thing if I were him."

"Lied to him? Betrayed his trust? Broken the only promise you asked him to make when you promised yourself to him?"

I looked at him, shocked. How in the world did he know what I had promised Legolas and what he had promised me on the night we were married? He hadn't been there, and so far as I knew, there hadn't been any orcs there either. Then I reminded myself of my fallacious thinking. He was Saruman, who saw random stuff from his palantir, and he could probably bank on his being right. And if what the palantir had shown _me _was the truth, it was true. I had only married Legolas because he promised to let me go after the battle when I had to die. If he hadn't, I wouldn't have married him; I could never have done that to him.

"I would have done anything," I said. "Anything, to keep him alive."

* * *

Thank you my reviewers Got a new one, manwathiel16! Thanks for reviewing. Upcoming: The scene at Isengard, Legolas passes out (finally, his turn at last) Annia may or may not be rescued, Saruman and Wormtongue figure out why they can't touch her, and Annia decides that she forgives Legolas for what he did. If anyone was thinking there was going to be a scene when she totally blew up at him, then no, unfortunately. I didn't have the heart to write a scene like that.

Keep reviewing guys! And don't hesitate with the ideas, because I REALLY need them!

Best wishes from,

A Diamond in the Rough


	23. A Conversation

Hi guys! I most probably will not be able to update for a few days, because I've got business stuff to sort out over the next week. I will probably be updating next on the eleventh of July. Plus I really am idea low...

Victor, puzzling over a Draco-Hermione fic he's trying to write: Lily, what do you think would be the thing Draco Malfoy is MOST unlikely to say?

Me, Trying and Failing to do this fic, NOT paying attention to what he's saying: Sorry?

Victor: You're right! I don't believe I didn't think of that.

Me: Huh? What did I miss?

Victor, blithely tapping away at his keyboard: Nothing, nothing...

Me: Are you still writing that Dramione fic?

Victor: Yes, why?

Me: Because your first chapter is 12, 000 words long. You should cut off like 5000 and put it as the first chapter. I told my readers you would have your first story up soon.

Victor: That would spoil the plot, and I don't really like cliffhangers.

Me: Nobody does, I guess-unless it isn't your own fanfiction.

Victor: Hey, are you okay? Your face is red.

Me, realizing that I'm typing down this conversation instead of my fanfiction: I think I just typed our conversation as the 23rd chapter of Through the Looking Glass...let me delete it...

Victor: Why not keep it?

Me: Why, though?

Victor: Because then your readers can laugh at us and you can stick to your norm of updating daily.

Me: We haven't said anything remotely funny.

Victor: That's the point. And what's wrong with your face-it's really pink. (Checks my temperature with an electric thermomenter) You have a slight fever.

Me: I know, I've had a high temperature for the past few days...

Victor: Stop writing.

Me: What?!

Victor: It's not good for your eyes. Dictate to me and I'll type it down for you! People with fevers should NOT spend six hours with their eyes glued to a screen! _HOW _many times has your mum told you that, Lily?

Me: No.

Victor: LILY!

. .

(VICTOR'S POV)

That was me snatching her laptop. Fanfictioners, I apologize for the delay in both our stories. Lily badly wants to update, so she will probably be dictating her story to me to type down, meaning it will take longer to have the next chapter up, and my story won't be published until her eyes are fit to look at a screen.

-The Potential Pyromaniac


	24. random stuff

Hi everyone! Actually decided to do a real chapter after that ridiculous conversation between me and Victor. YAY! I just realized that I haven't done any disclaimers yet...

Me: I do not own anything except Annia, dialogues containing her, extraneous visions in the Mirror of Galadriel...and Victor.

Victor: Huh? Why'd you put me in? I rather think there was too much of me in the last chapter that wasn't really a chapter.

Me: Because I do.

Victor: You do what?

Me, smirking: Victor, in the August of next year I'm going to be saying that to you in a white dress in front of hundreds of guests and if you say 'You do what?' then, so help me God...

Victor: But I'm sure you weren't visualizing our wedding in the middle of your disclaimer. You said something about me after talking about Annia and Galadriel and what-not.

Me: I just said that you were the last thing on my list that I owned. You know, Annia, all scenes containing her, extraneous visions from Galadriel's mirror, et cetera...

Victor: I love you, Lily.

Me: I love you too, Vic. I think that your Draco-Hermione fic is distracting you...

Victor: Do you mean to say you want to be a distraction?

Me: I would be ashamed to say such a thing. (A/N: I'm serious, not joking.)

Victor:...Then why'd you say that my fic is distracting me.

Me: BECAUSE THERE IS A FLY SITTING ON YOUR EAR!

Victor, shooing off the fly: Thanks, Lil. Blasted fly.

Me: And on with the fic...

Victor: On with 'Golden Brown...'

* * *

Blonde Elf from Mirkwood WHO also happens to be a prince POV

I was sitting alone on the parapet of Helm's Deep. It was dark; the enemy was defeated, but nearly all the elves who had come to aid them had fallen.

And what was more, Annia was gone.

I heard a step behind me, and I turned to see Aragorn, carefully picking his way around the piles of rubble. "Do not despair, mellon-nin."

"She disappeared," I said hollowly. "It was my fault. Had I not drugged her-"

"She would have died," said Aragorn gently. "At least you still have hope that she yet lives."

"I know...I can feel that she lives," I pressed my hand to my heart. "Here. But she is in pain-terrible pain. I can feel it my my soul. I can hear her screaming."

Aragorn sat beside me. "I can feel that pain in Arwen's heart, every day," He exhaled loudly. "I can feel it like my heart is slowly turning to ice, or as if I am dying-like she is."

I shook my head. "You do not understand. If you see Arwen-and then Annia-Annia is _alive. _She knows how short her lease on life will be, and she is determined to live it to the fulles. Whereas Arwen, had you not come, would have merely existed. She would not have lived unless she had loved."

He merely nodded. We sat in silence. At once a strange pain shot through my head.

"Legolas? Legolas...LEGOLAS!"

I heard nothing before the world went dark.

* * *

Annia POV

Six days.

Six days with Saruman.

Six days of seeing the ones I love die.

Six days of agony.

Six days of being called to by Sauron.

Six days of being eyed by Wormtongue.

Six days of nausea.

Blasted orc-stench.

Saruman had actually left me alone for a little while. I think my getting sick so often had something to do with it; Istari though he is, he cannot appreciate the sound of someone throwing up. He had given me a strange green liquid in a cup, to settle my stomach; one thing I was devoutly thankful for. After he left, I was no longer sick, and apart from the sound of Orcs shrieking in the distance, I was in silence.

_Oh, Legolas. Why did you drug me? Why?_

I couldn't think of anything that would distract me. Not even the thought of Legolas worked; so I turned my mind back to home. Memories began to wash over me; Jen and me together, on a merry-go-round at some fair or other, me and Jen covered with sloppy-joe meat, me being cuddled by my mother when I complained of being cold, sitting on my father's lap with a book, following the words he read aloud with one fat little finger on the page...

Then I thought of the last vision I had seen in Galadriel's mirror; that of a girl throwing herself from the top of a tower-in fact, this tower. I closed my eyes and groaned. I had thought it would be Estelin-now as I mused on it, I knew it would be me jumping from Orthanc, not her. Something in my heart seemed to cry out thanks at that. Quietly, I began to sing.

"May it be an evening star  
Shines down upon you  
May it be when darkness falls  
Your heart will be true  
You walk a lonely road  
Oh! How far you are from home...

"Mornie utulie  
Believe and you will find your way  
Mornie alantie  
A promise lives within you now...

"May it be the shadow's call  
Will fly away  
May it be your journey on  
To light the day  
When the night is overcome  
You may rise to find the sun...

"Mornie utulie  
Believe and you will find your way  
Mornie alantie  
A promise lives within you now...

A promise lives within you now."

_Annia. _

_Annia, come back to me. _

_Come back to the light, child. You are fading. _Confused, I opened my eyes and looked around. It was definitely a woman speaking-though not one I recognized. There was no one in the locked room save myself.

_No. Close your eyes. _I obediently lowered my eyelids. _You will see many things before you leave this tower. And yes, you will. I know you have Seen how you will leave-but that is wrong. You will be removed from this tower-and indeed, from this world back to yours-by the one you love most, the Prince of Eryn Lasgalen. _

_How? _I thought back at the voice.

_He will kill you._

_No! Go away. I don't want to listen to you._

_Annia, you must-_

_GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I CAN'T HEAR YOU, I CAN'T HEAR YOU-_

_If I cannot help you, you and your-_

_GO AWAY! JUST GOOOO AWAAAAAYYY!_

_Do nothing rash. Trust me, Annia. You will thank me. And you will return here-and someone else will return with you. _

_I don't like talking in riddles. Either tell me what you're on about or just go away. _

_All right, though it will be dangerous to show you this. _At once, my mind was filled with only one image-that of a tiny girl no more than a year old at most, with a head covered with golden curls and a pair of wide blue eyes exactly like my own. As I looked at her, she smiled and held out her arms to me. As soon as she moved, the image fell away, and I could feel the strange presence in my mind disappear.

* * *

Legolas, now skipping to Orthanc. I know, i know, that takes us straight into the return of the king...

OH GOD I DID NOT MEAN THAT HE IS ACTUALLY SKIPPING TO ORTHANC! NO I CAN'T GET THAT IMAGE OUT OF MY HEAD NOW!

* * *

"Shoot him, Legolas!" cried Gimli.

I stared up at Saruman. He was smiling at me-me in particular. I deftly nocked an arrow and shot it at him.

At once it was as if time had slowed. My thoughts, my movements-and my arrow. But, as quick as lightning, Saruman reached behind him, pulled forward a person shackled and bound, and I watched in horror as my arrow, aimed directly for Saruman's heart, plunged straight into the breast of this unknown person. With a laugh, Saruman bent. I could not see what he was doing, but I immediately recoiled in shock when a cupful of blood soaked onto me and Gimli.

"Can you taste whose blood that is?" he screamed, mad with delight. "Can you feel her pain, and her despair that it should be her own beloved who took her life and the life of another as well? Can you smell the dying life from whom that blood was taken? I could not touch her, though knife and whip fell upon her, but _you-_the only person upon middle-earth who could have done this to her-did it for me. What knowledge she had to give me I managed to tear from her by invading her mind-I have no further use for her, but to serve as a shield!"

I did not need to taste the drops of blood on my face; I knew whose blood it was. At once I knew where Annia had been over the last six days and I yelled out,

"Saruman! Give her to me and I shall spare your life!" I nocked another arrow and held it at the ready. I heard Saruman laughing once more, and then I saw something being pushed over the parapet. I leaped forward, and by some grace of the Valar, its fall-no, she had to be living yet, _her _fall-were strangely slowed, just as the shooting of my arrow had been. She fell into my arms as if she had merely fallen from a tree some ten feet high, and I saw the wound I had made in her chest-one worse than the one that she had taken from Boromir that had nearly killed her. I let my last arrow go, and watched as it struck true. Seconds later, Saruman had fallen into the dirty water of the flooding Isen. I turned at once to Annia.

"Annia, please, don't close your eyes! stay, do anything, but stay," I begged. Annia opened her eyes with difficulty. She looked down at the arrow; I made to pull it out, but she shook her head, almost too slightly to be seen.

"It will...make me lose...more blood," she managed to gasp out. Blood seemed to rise from her throat as she tried to speak, and I realized with a pang that the arrow had punctured a lung. I was once more standing at Amon Hen, watching her bleeding, knowing I could do nothing to save her. Then at once I remembered what _had _saved her, and I turned to Aragorn. "Aragorn, can you-"

"I can try. Yes, I can try."

He then performed the same thing he had done at Amon Hen; though instead of only my energy and Gimli's flowing through him, it constituted of the will of Boromir, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf as well. Under Aragorn's hand the wound began to close, and finally, it was gone.

I let my forehead rest on hers. "Meleth-nin, please, forgive me. I would rather die than let any harm come to you by my hand. You must believe me."

Aragorn interrupted me. "Legolas, she is not going to hear you."

I turned. "And why not?"

"Because her spirit has retreated somewhere deep inside her. The force of all of us struggling to heal her was too much; I believe that it hurt her somehow. And it will be several hours at the least before she wakes or is willing to speak."

I saw Pippin kneel and pick something up from the water; it looked like a dark stone. Gandalf looked over and immediately rode over and held out his hand. "I'll take that, my boy."

Pippin handed the thing over, and we began our ride away from the tower. I could hear Annia breathing, but I could also feel something else-something that puzzled me. At last, she opened her eyes.

"It was you."

"It was."

All her heart was contained in those three words, _it was you. _I who drugged her. I who was the cause of her kidnapping. I who had shot her, I who had nearly killed her. She began to cry quietly. "And I didn't think I could ever, ever see you again."

I hugged her tightly. "No matter what, no matter where you are, I shall find you, Annia, do you hear me?"

She chucked weakly. "With or without shooting me first? Arrow wounds to the chest hurt, you know; this was officially my fourth."

"Forgive me."

"That isn't so hard to do," she said. She sat up on the horse, and then was promptly sick.

"Are you ill?"

"Yes. The smell of orcs has really been getting to me. Saruman gave me something to keep the sickness off, but I rather think it's wearing off now."

* * *

(A/N: You remember the chapter where Annia and Legolas were outside in Rohan at night and Annia was quoting from crazy places? I made up the quote for one. I dare you to find it, heheheh.

* * *

"All, all, all, whatever  
That came to me, e'en as they came, I'd fling them  
In a wild cluster, not a careful bouquet.  
I love thee! I am mad! I love, I stifle!  
Thy name is in my heart as in a sheep-bell,  
And as I ever tremble, thinking of thee,  
Ever the bell shakes, ever thy name ringeth!  
All things of thine I mind, for I love all things;  
I know that last year on the twelfth of May-month,  
To walk abroad, one day you changed your hair-plaits!  
I am so used to take your hair for daylight  
That,-like as when the eye stares on the sun's disk,  
One sees long after a red blot on all things-  
So, when I quit thy beams, my dazzled vision  
Sees upon all things a blonde stain imprinted.

"Ay, true, the feeling  
Which fills me, terrible and jealous, truly  
Love,-which is ever sad amid its transports!  
Love,-and yet, strangely, not a selfish passion!  
I for your joy would gladly lay mine own down,  
-E'en though you never were to know it,-never!

"-If but at times I might-far off and lonely,-  
Hear some gay echo of the joy I bought you!  
Each glance of thine awakes in me a virtue,-  
A novel, unknown valor. Dost begin, sweet,  
To understand? So late, dost understand me?

"Feel'st thou my soul, here, through the darkness mounting?  
Too fair the night! Too fair, too fair the moment!  
That I should speak thus, and that you should hearken!  
Too fair! In moments when my hopes rose proudest,  
I never hoped such guerdon. Naught is left me  
But to die now! Have words of mine the power

"To make you tremble,-throned there in the branches?  
Ay, like a leaf among the leaves, you tremble!  
You tremble! For I feel,-an if you will it,  
Or will it not,-your hand's beloved trembling  
Thrill through the branches, down your sprays of jasmine!

"A kiss! The word is sweet.  
I see not why your lip should shrink from it;  
If the word burns it,-what would the kiss do?  
Oh! let it not your bashfulness affright;  
Have you not, all this time, insensibly,  
Left badinage aside, and unalarmed  
Glided from smile to sigh,-from sigh to weeping?  
Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward-  
From tear to kiss,-a moment's thrill!-a heartbeat!"

"So that is a love poem of your world?"

Annia nodded.

"That is how we spoke of love."

"And how do you speak of it now?"

She smiled.

"Simple. Three words. I love you."


	25. A Promise

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Annia and Victor. Oh, yeah, I own Boromir too! WOOOHOO! Vic! Did you hear that! I OWN BOROMIR!

Victor: No, Tolkien does.

Me: Well, Tolkien killed him, and I brought him back, so yehaaa, I own him now.

Victor: Lucky you.

Me: Well, you own lots of OC's in your story.

Victor: I own nothing except Draco Malfoy's strangely benign attitude. I mean, can you even _imagine _him being nice to and falling in love with Hermione Granger? ? I don't even know how _I _imagined it.

Me: Are you STILL working on the first chapter of Golden Brown?

Victor: Yeah.

Me: And how many words is it up to now?

Victor: Twenty thousand.

Me: AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T PUT UP JUST ONE CHAPTER?!

Victor: I told you, it would spoil the plot!

Me: *sigh...*

Victor: I love you, Lil.

Me: Love you too Vic.

* * *

_One ring to rule them all, one ring to bind them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them..._

* * *

_"Aragorn!" _called Annia, as they rode. Aragorn jerked out of his reverie and turned to face her. Annia was sure, from the look in his eyes, that he had been thinking about Arwen.

"Yes, Annia?"

"You're going to the paths of the dead, are you not?" she said.

Taken aback, Aragorn nodded. "I am. But how did you-"

"Never mind how I knew," said Annia, waving a dismissive hand. "Just know that you will succeed. That's all."

"Your words hearten me," he said, smiling. "Legolas is indeed a lucky elf."

Annia sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "One thing remains, though. Aragorn, I know I am going to return to my home."

He looked shocked. "How...how can you know this?"

"I just do. Here," Annia touched her heart and then winced. "Why does every damn wound have to be in the same place?" she growled. "It hurts so badly, even after it heals."

"Legolas still feels terrible about what he did to you," said Aragorn. She nodded, and then sighed.

"I cannot fool him, no matter how hard I try. No matter how hard I try to fight it, ever since the night I took Frodo's wound upon myself all those months ago, I can feel myself fading." She swallowed. "I know it, Aragorn. It is only a matter of time; there will be one more healing I do, and then-then I will die."

He turned upon her. "Do you not understand what you speak? You will kill him as well, Annia."

"It was why I was sent here," she said quietly. "Once my work is done, I will no longer remain here."

Boromir rode up beside me. "I still believe that you are meant to remain, my lady."

She jumped. "Boromir. I didn't see you; you're getting as silent as the elves."

"It comes from being in their company, my lady," he joked. "I am forever in your debt, though." His voice lowered. "And a blood debt at that. You shall not die while I yet draw breath, Annia of Earth. You willingly gave your life for me; and it is only just, and right, that I do the same."

She shook her head. Visions of him falling at Amon Hen were still too fresh in her mind. "Boromir, I could never let you die, not for me. I have cried out at every arrow that pierced your body, time and time again. It was something that would have torn at me for eternity, had I let you die on that day."

"I will forever be your loyal servant," he said. "Annia, do not spurn your life so easily. You are young, you are loved, and you are meant for greatness."

Annia shook her head again. "Boromir...I'm going back, and I'm going back soon."

Aragorn turned back. "When you go, Legolas will die."

Yet once more, she shook her head. "No. He has promised me that he will not."

Aragorn sighed. "For your sake."

* * *

Legolas POV

The ride would have been an enjoyable one, had Annia not looked so distant and far-away. When someone spoke to her, she did not hear; she refused her food, and when she looked at me, I often caught a wistful, guilty look in her eyes.

"Annia," I said, that night, as we set up camp. "Please, tell me what is bothering you."

She gripped my hand. "Just promise me, that when I die, you will not fade."

I drew her to me, kissing her first on the forehead, then on one cheek, and then on the other. "I promise. After all, I made that promise to one other. I cannot break my word to her, any more than I could ever break my word to you."

"I love you, Legolas," she said, leaning into my embrace. "Who was she?"

I smiled.

"Our daughter."


	26. Here I am, again

Disclaimer

Me: I own nothing except Annia, Boromir and a resurrected Sauron. I also own Aragorn's bow because I gave it to him, and I own Legolas's hair...(I wish.) It isn't fair that all elves have such beautiful hair and my kinky red hair needs so much combing!

Vic: ?! ?!

Me: What?

Vic: You don't own Sauron, Tolkien does.

Me: Well, I brought him back, so I own him now. TALK ABOUT THAT, VIC! I own Boromir _and _Sauron now!

Vic:...but why do you own Sauron? He was resurrected already.

Me: Because I'm going to save him.

Vic: ...okay...

Me: I know, I'm a weirdo. NOW COMES THE TIME FOR VIC'S DISCLAIMER!

Vic, bowing his head to all beautiful readers and reviewers: Lilian owns Annia, Boromir, and Sauron. I own nothing except Draco Malfoy's strangely benign attitude.

Me: On with Through the Looking Glass.

Vic: On with Golden Brown.

Me: You know, Vic, you should really get around to publishing that.

* * *

Legolas POV

When we slept that night, Annia fell asleep right away. I rolled myself up in blankets and then allowed sleep to take me...

* * *

I was standing on a ledge, more than forty feet above a fiery chasm. Smoke was rolling about me; I could see nothing but the two shapes struggling at the edge of another ledge far below me, both nearly falling into the flames below many times. I recognized one of them, and cried out in fear. "Frodo! Frodo, your time has come! Do not let it take you, Frodo!"

But the figure turned to meet my eyes, and I saw it was not Frodo standing there but Annia. She cast me one resolute look and then turned back to the other figure. Suddenly, she seemed to emit a ray of dark light. I could not have explained what I meant by dark light; it seemed to be issuing from a phial she held in her hand. I heard her shouting above the rumble of the fire.

"I, Annia River, heal you, fallen soul. Hearken to my words; come to meet the light. There is good yet left in every creature that walks this earth-even you, Lord of the Black Land. Be what you were. I give you sunlight and shadow, mist and wind, moonlight and starlight, laughter upon the breezes, I give you all that is left within this world, its happiness, its beauty. You were of it once; come forth and into the dawn."

The shape standing immobilized before her seemed to writhe and to scream out, "No!"

"I give you the taste of rain upon your lips, the taste of berries in summer, I give you the light of fire and of the skies, and I give you the love held by this earth. Sauron, hear me, and return to what you were once, long ago."

The figure fell to its knees at her feet. She did not move; I could plainly see doubt in her eyes. A change seemed to be taking over it; its blackness was lightening to the unmistakable white of elven robes, I could see a wealth of sandy curls, very much like the hair of Pippin, Merry, and Sam. The face took a shape, and I could see wide brown eyes, a pale skin, and thin hands with black nails, rounding out to become very human hands. I could see Annia smiling. "Let it go, Sauron. Let the Ring go. Live."

I saw him look at her as if he were truly _seeing _for the first time after many thousands of years.

I saw the flames below them rising. "Run, you fools!" I screamed. The young man who had been Sauron tugged at Annia's hand, trying to pull her after him. But she did not move-could not move. I heard her cry out, "Go! Go, you fool!" The man tried again to pull her away from the edge of the chasm, but she fiercely shook her head and took a step back.

And that was all I saw before she was claimed by the fire. I heard one short, terrible cry of pain: The man's face was crossed with horror, and I screamed.

* * *

"Legolas! Legolas, please, wake up!" I could feel someone in my arms, anxious hands at my face.

I continued to call out her name. "Annia! Annia!"

I felt a pair of lips pressing themselves to mine. "I'm here, my love. I'm here, and I will never, never leave you."

I opened my eyes to see her eyes inches from mine, very much alive. Tears of worry stood out in them, and there was something in her face-worry, and fear. "Are you all right?"

"Annia," I breathed, pulling her closer to me. A sob broke from my throat. "Oh, Annia."

She looked slightly confused. "What is it? What is it you saw?" she asked quietly.

"I saw you."

"You saw it, did you not?" she said. "What I wanted to do-what I meant to do?"

"What did you mean to do?" I said, dreading her answer. If she said she was going to heal Sauron, I would take her to Mirkwood and lock her in my room with an army of guards outside, so help me.

"I-never mind, now is not the time." She rested her head against my chest. "Do you know how much I love you?"

I smiled faintly.

"I think I do," I said. "What is it?" There was something in her voice I could not place; joy, regret, pain, and hope, all melded together in a strange conglomeration. She sighed and closed her eyes. "You will begin to see, Legolas. In time, you will begin to see that I hang by a thread."

I turned her to face me. "Do not say such things, Annia." I was already beginning to know what she was talking about; it was as if there was a little less of her, day after day, as if she was slowly leaving me. "Does the wound still pain you?" I asked, feeling again the pain that shot through me when I thought of it.

"It...it is cold, Legolas," she said. "Deathly cold. I can begin to feel a chill spreading to my heart and slowing its beat, to my lungs, and slowing its breath. I am trying not to let it spread anywhere else, for if it takes me, I will not be the only one to die."

"I promised you I would not fade," I said, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. Annia sat in silence for a while as if she had not heard what I said, and then she looked up at me.

"I was not speaking of you, Legolas. I had work to do in the last of this war; but I cannot do it now. I must let die the ones who I wanted so much to save, for I cannot risk another life as well as mine. I would risk my own in a heartbeat, but-" she closed her eyes and then opened them again. "I will not risk the life of our daughter."

It was as if I had been struck dumb. I simply stared at her and did not speak a word, only gaped with my lips slightly parted.

She nodded. "It was why I was getting ill at Isengard. Saruman knew, I think, even though I had no clue then. I though my illness was because of te stench of the orcs and the fact that I was being tortured seven or eight times a day. It was why he couldn't hurt me...physically." She swallowed. "After he had taken knowledge from my mind, he left me alone with a sword."

"He left you alone with a sword?" I said in confusion.

"He wanted me to take my own life in despair," she said. "And I wanted to-oh, you can never know how-_tempting-_it was to pick up that sword and plunge it into my heart. But I kept on telling myself that if I was going to die, I wouldn't die here-not in Isengard, with only Saruman and Wormtongue and a band of shrieking Orcs. I wasn't going to die alone by my own hand. When you shot me on the top of the tower I spoke only two words before I fell-'thank you.' I was so happy that at last it was _over _and I was never going to have to see you or my father dying again."

"Never say that," I said. "Your life is more precious to this world-to _me-_than for you to think of ending it in grief. I am never going to let you come in the way of harm again, Annia. Please, stay safe, for my sake and yours and for Ayiel. And do not lose your will to live."

She sighed softly. It was like a surrender.

"We may have no choice. The wound is taking over me, Legolas. It creeps further through me, every day. I know you have felt me slipping away, and I only pray that I have time to bring Ayiel into the world before _my _time comes."

"Your time for what?"

"For me to return to my own world."

* * *

Aragorn POV

* * *

As we continued to walk that day, I noticed that Legolas was silent. He looked at Annia every few seconds, and I could see that his eyes were red rimmed. I pulled Brego up beside him.

"What ails you, my friend?"

"Saruman tried to make her kill herself," he said. "And she nearly did. Aragorn, I know why she was not angry when I shot her-she was _relieved. _Glad that it was over."

"That is not all, is it?" I observed. He shook his head.

"I had a dream of her healing Sauron, and returning him to what he was before he fell into shadow. And as she healed him, the flames of Mount Doom rose ever higher. When it was done, she simply allowed them to take her."

"My friend, all you can do is your utmost to keep her safe," said Aragorn, patting my shoulder. "You must take her to the Paths of the Dead with us-you must not let her out of your sight."

"No! That path is much too dangerous for her, now that she is-" He stopped short.

"What is it?"

"Annia is with child," he said, running a hand over his head. "The baby was what guarded her while Saruman was torturing her in Isengard. He knew of the child, as well, but he said nothing of it to her."

"My friend, why are you so upset?" I asked. "The birth of elflings is truly a rare event; I believe that you were one of the last to be born."

"Because the Morgul wound is taking over her body," he said. "It saps her strength; she grows weary before midday. She barely eats, her sleep is more like a faint; it has reached her heart, Aragorn. If she is able to bear the child, I do not know if she will have enough vitality to live through it."

I stood still. I had hear of Morgul wounds suddenly returning if the place where they had been was wounded many times over again. This had been the case with Annia; she had been struck with two arrows, and then healed the arrow-wound of the young girl in Rohan, on the day that we arrived there. The thought rushed over me that Annia did not have much hope to live now, especially as the child was half-elven, she would carry it for three months longer than she would have if it were a full-blooded human baby. The deadly chill of the blade would soon pervade her entire body, and most likely within the next few months. Then, as Legolas and I both knew, she would die.

"There is always hope," I said, gripping his hands. "Believe me."

"You do not believe it yourself," he said with a sigh. He looked ahead to where Annia walked with Eowyn and Gimli. "I cannot lose her...not now."

* * *

Review? I haven't gotten a single one in five days 'sobs' please review? please? i will love you if you do.

UP IN THE NEXT CHAPTER: Annia comes to the decision to heal Sauron if she ever comes in contact with him. Legolas and Aragorn are planning. I will also be putting up a short story of the fellowship at Annia's house, showing the confusion that our technology brings to our poor befuddled Middle-Earthlings. It willed be called, "The Techno Rampage."


	27. Elleth of the Air

Me: WHAT TIME IS IT?

Vic, very weary: Disclaimer time.

ME: YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH!

Vic, exasperated: Have you been eating sugar AGAIN?! I thought I told you it would only make you get sick again. AUNT JEN! PLEASE TELL LILIAN TO STOP EATING SUGAR! (A/N: He calls my mom aunt Jen because he's really close to our family. I'm not engaged to a cousin...so...yeah...)

My mom: LILIAN! Have we or have we not had this conversation before?

Me: We have, mum. I'm sorry, I won't do it again.

Vic: I told you so. PUT THAT SUGAR PACKET DOWN RIGHT NOW, LILY!

Me: Uhmmm...ignore him, he's on the 50,892nd word of Golden Brown and still thinks he hasn't found the right place to break off the first chapter.

Vic: Well, I haven't.

Me: Sweetheart, it's where Hermione accidentally explodes the pot on top of Draco's head...

Vic: You're right! That's an awesome idea!

Me: Smirks.

Vic: Actually...

Me: I own nothing except Annia and all scenes containing her. I also own Legolas's feelings and emotions and dreams. I also own Boromir and Sauron. I own Vic, too. Vic? Your turn. Oh, yeah, and I own Legolas's hair, because I'm going to dye it blonde and force it to look like his. *evil grin*

Vic: NO! Your red hair is perfect! And it makes your eyes look green! I mean, greener than they would have otherwise!

Me: I'm joking, Vic. Just go ahead and do your disclaimer.

Vic: I own nothing except Draco Malfoy's strangely benign attitude. And I also own Lilian...

Me: Heheheh.

* * *

"What is it?" asked Merry.

I started and looked down. "Oh, Merry."

"Something is troubling you, isn't it, Annia?"

I sighed. "Yes. I'm worried, slightly ill, and feeling the effects of a Morgul blade at my heart."

Merry looked concerned. "But you were wounded months ago, Annia. How come it's still there now?"

"Because I was hurt there so many times there after the Witch-King stabbed me-I mean, after I healed Frodo."

"There's something else, too, isn't there?" he asked. Why were all people in this world so good at reading your mind? It would be useful if I suddenly developed that talent after I returned home...if I did.

"Yeah." I said with a sigh. "I'm going to have a baby. And I don't think I'm going to be able to live long enough to have her, because of the wound."

Merry looked shocked. "You and Legolas are married?"

"Obviously," I said, gesturing to the mithril necklace sparkling at my throat. It hadn't really hit me that in a year I was going to be a mother. It seemed a really long time to wait, obviously, but I was worried because my lasting for a year was highly improbable. I could feel it in every fiber of my body that I was letting go...that my body was letting go. It took all my will just to get up in the morning; I was often woken by Legolas thrashing around in his sleep because of a nightmare he kept having, and I kept on remembering being tortured at Orthanc. After I had found out about the baby, I had cried for fifteen minutes in relief that I hadn't miscarried while I was in Isengard. If I had known about Ayiel then, I could never have stood it.

Merry sighed. "Your life is so mixed up." He patted my arm consolingly. "Don't worry, you'll come through it, and the baby, too. You got through Isengard, and you ARE going to get through the rest of what's to come. Just you wait and see."

I smiled. "Isn't it mixed up, Merry? Months ago I was just a pre-med student working at her summer job and studying for her next year in college and chatting with my sister from time to time. Now, I'm a healer, traveling with a Fellowship I didn't ever know truly existed, the wife of Legolas Greenleaf, and in a year I will be a mother. But I have been blessed with wonderful friends. You, Aragorn, Gimli, Pip, Sam, Frodo...Boromir...Eowyn..."

Suddenly, something seemed to flow into me; like a drop of hot liquid had slipped down my throat, warming me, sending strength and vitality through my whole body. I stood still, shocked. It was as if I was thrumming with energy, so much so that moving seemed like an extremely silly thing to do.

"Annia?" said Merry, coming swiftly back to me; he'd walked forward a few steps without noticing that I had stopped. I just stood and stared at him for a moment, trying to comprehend the strange feelings coursing through my blood. Merry began to look frightened; I found myself unable to speak, unable to breathe. But it didn't matter. It felt as if the rest of the world was breathing for me, very like the day so long ago when Legolas had breathed for me on Caradhras. I could feel _everything. _

And by that I mean everything. The breaths of every horse, the rustles of every blade of grass. Ever gust of wind, every bird's call from so far above us. I saw strange colors that I never seemed to see before; colors that made me think a human shouldn't be able to see them, because they were so bright, so beautiful. I stood still and silent with my eyes closed, allowing everything around me to fill me. I seemed to be oblivious to all human, elven, dwarvish, or hobbit voice though. I could see Merry mouthing something, I could feel the intensity of his yells, but I could not reply...nor could I hear him. His shouts intensified, and I saw at once Legolas rushing towards me. He seemed strangely slower than usual. He looked extremely worried, but I found that as for _feeling-_I felt nothing but _joy. _I was aware of a glad laugh bursting from my throat; Merry and Legolas looked confused. And then I threw the things I was carrying to the ground and did what I'd done back when I was a girl at peace with the world and everything in it.

I ran.

I ran faster than I knew I could, faster than Legolas could. It was as if the air was hugging my arms, lifting them up, and I welcomed its hands in relief. Some part in me knew already what was going to happen, though that did not mean it wasn't a shock when it did happen.

I was lifted up into the air. Suddenly I became aware that the air was no longer supporting me, but that I could go where I wished, feeling weightless, free, beautiful, and complete...at last. Everything was possible. Nothing was impossible.

I was becoming who I was meant to be.

* * *

Legolas POV

* * *

"What-?" I gasped as I saw Annia lifted into the air.

"We must get her down, Legolas!" yelled Aragorn. "We must get her down!"

I sensed the tenseness in his voice and turned. "Why?"

"Don't you remember the Elf of the Air!" he said, spurring his horse on after her.

I ran after him as something my mother had told me once came into my head; that one day, a human woman would become an elf and take to the air, forgetting the sound of voice, content only with the woods and rivers. Dread filled my heart. If that was Annia-

When I caught up with Aragorn, I saw him pleading with Annia. It seemed as if she could not hear him. I could see her watching him, puzzled, even though she was only floating ten feet above the ground. I cried out, "ANNIA! Annia, please, my love, come down?" Recognition seemed to flicker in her eyes at the sound of my voice, but she did not seem to hear it fully. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them I felt my heart drop into my shoes.

They were no longer blue like a deep lake or a sapphire. They were silver-grey, like those of an elf close to fading from grief.

She fell to the ground, and began writhing. I hurried over to her, and I knew that her eyes could not see me. At once she began to speak and I flinched; once more she spoke without knowing, moving without waking, and said things I knew I could never understand."

"May she wake in torment! Why, she's a liar to the end! Where is she? Not _there_—not in heaven—not perished—where? Oh! you said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered _do_ haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts _have_ wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only _do_ not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I _cannot_ live without my life! I _cannot_ live without my soul!"

I pressed her to me, but she still repeated those two sentences over and over again..."I cannot live without my life-I cannot live without my soul!"

Her hair fell back from her ears; I gasped at once, bringing Merry, Gimli, and Aragorn to my side. Wordlessly I pointed at Annia's ears.

They were now as pointed as my own.

* * *

Ah, cliffy :P don't you just love them. eheheh. so do i :P


	28. You Shall Suffer Me

Me: Quelle heure est-il?

Vic: Lil, honey, I never took French.

Me: That means, what time is it.

Vic: Oh no. Please don't tell me it's disclaimer time again.

Me: It is. So, here goes. I own Annia, all dialogues containing her, Boromir and Sauron (even though he hasn't made an appearance yet) and Legolas's hair...cause I dyed it and straightened it! I also own Victor Earnshaw.

Vic: Don't try to fool your readers, Lil. Your hair is just as red as ever. And as curly.

Me, sniffing: You're making me feel like Anne of Green Gables, Vic...

Vic: And as curly as ever. You know straightener lasts, like, ten minutes on your hair.

Me: Fine, fine, fine. I do NOT own Legolas's hair...I'm sorry, Tolkien. *sniffles* but I will get it someday when Vic isn't looking *evil laughter'

Vic: Sigh. Lily, you do not own Legolas's hair. I only own Lilian Dearborn and Draco Malfoy's strangely benign attitude.

Me: You're only allowed to own me when we get married next year.

Vic: Fine. I do not own Lilian Dearborn (yet) but I wish I did, and I will, soon.

Me: K-K! On with our bee you ti ful stories! Get on with Golden Brown, Vic.

* * *

"An elf dare venture underground where a dwarf dare not...oh, I'd never hear the end of it!" Gimli sighed and hurried off after Legolas, leaving me staring after him. Legolas came back outside and took my hand.

"Do not fear, Annia. I will let nothing happen to you."

Sighing, I nodded and walked on after him.

The crevice we entered was misty; ghostly hands seemed to rise out of the fog and reach out after me.

I sighed. When I'd woken from a strange fit I'd had yesterday, I'd found that I had pointed ears, a heightened sense of smell, taste, and hearing, and I was three inches taller, and a good deal prettier. But I had not lost my claustrophobia. Presently we came into a large cavern, which seemed to hold the ruins of an ancient city. I braced myself for the voice I knew was about to boom out of the darkness.

"The dead do not suffer the living to pass." I looked around and saw the figure of a skeletal king walking down a flight of crumbling stairs.

"You will suffer me," said Aragorn, holding out his sword.

I allowed myself to zone out. This was waaaaaaay creepier than it had been in the movie, and I did not really want to stand there and look at it.

"Die now," said the King. I heard his blade crashing against Aragorn's. "THAT BLADE WAS BROKEN!"

"It has been remade," hissed Aragorn.

I then heard someone cry out something in a strange language, from along the ranks of the dead which were appearing on all sides. The King appeared to be considering whatever it was that his fellow ghost had said, and then nodded. At once I felt icy cold fingers grasp my wrists and pull me towards the green mass of ghosts, more of which were rising out of the air every second. Another equally cold hand wrapped itself around my mouth. I bit at it sharply; it released me and I yelled, "Legolas! Help!"

He turned sharply and then darted to pull me away. However, the ghosts simply closed the space between him and me, laughing. Aragorn turned to the King of the dead men. "Release her, or I shall run you through with Anduril."

"We shall keep her with us," hissed the King, advancing upon Aragorn with his own sword outstretched. "That is our price."

"Never!" yelled Legolas. "You shall never have her."

"We do not wish to keep her, Elf-Prince," spat the King, looking towards me. I glared back at him. "We have no use for a mortal woman who carries a half-elven child, for she is physically guarded by her child at all times, and cannot be harmed except by those she loves." Legolas blanched; I knew he was thinking of the arrow he had shot into my chest at Orthanc. "But she shall remain here until we are released from our oath and are allowed to be at peace. That is my price. If you do not pay it, we shall not come."

Legolas looked at me. I stared back at him. I really, really, really did not want to stay in this musty, ghost infested place. But if I had to I would.

"It is all right, Aragorn," I called out. "I'll stay. Please come back for me, though, when the battle is done, and you WILL be victorious. I have foreseen it."

"Are you sure?" he called out.

"You have no choice." My voice trembled. I turned back to the ghosts who were holding me. "At least let me say goodbye."

They released me; I staggered forward and embraced Legolas, then Gimli, and then Aragorn.

"Fight well, you guys. And have fun with the oliphaunt, Legolas," I said with a smile. "I wish I could have been there to see that, though."

The three of them looked at me, confused.

"Just trust in your hearts. Everything's going to come right-and I'll be waiting here, when you are finished. Go."

I watched them walk away with the ghostly army, leaving five ghosts to guard me. Legolas was the last to leave. He looked back at me before he walked out of the door, and looked as if he would like nothing better than to stay in this dusty, smelly cave.

* * *

A/N: Legolas's vision of Annia and Sauron is going to come true.

* * *

"What does she speak of?" asked a befuddled spirit to another. Annia was asleep on the grimy floor, and talking nonstop.

"I have no idea," said another, just as confused. They stopped short and kept listening to her speaking.

"A good heart will help you to a bonny face, my lad, and a bad one will turn the bonniest into something worse than ugly. And now that we've done washing, and combing, and sulking—tell me whether you don't think yourself rather handsome? I'll tell you, I do. You're fit for a prince in disguise. Who knows but your father was Emperor of China, and your mother an Indian queen, each of them able to buy up, with one week's income, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange together? And you were kidnapped by wicked sailors and brought to England. Were I in your place, I would frame high notions of my birth; and the thoughts of what I was should give me courage and dignity to support the oppressions of a little farmer!"

* * *

The reason for Annia raving about random stuff from books is going to be revealed soon. Plus, as you probably noticed, I am a total wuthering heights fan. :) Although I think Heathcliff was really mean to little Cathy after she married his son Linton. One reason why I keep on saying Vic's last name is Earnshaw and he keeps getting mad at me :P because his real last name is simply, 'Johns' and I think Victor Earnshaw sounds dashing.

* * *

_Annia. Annia._

_Oh, no, not you again._

_Yes, it is I. Have you ever wondered why you rave in your sleep? Take fits you never had before coming to this world?_

_Yes. _

_It is because some part of you longs with all your heart to return to your own world. Decide where your heart lies, or you can never be happy...anywhere._

* * *

I HAVE BEEN FAITHFULLY UPDATING NEARLY EVERY DAY. I THINK MY DEVOTION DESERVES SOME REVIEWS! PLEASE? PLEASE PLEASE? I am going to hold the next chapter for ransom. 'sobs' it's a beautiful 4 000 word one so yeah. If I don't get three reviews by tomorrow I will not put it up.

BEST LOVE FROM...

THE DIAMOND!


	29. Do you remember, Melith?

Me: C'EST LE TEMPS POUR LE DISCLAIMER! MON DIEU! JE VAIS ME TUER! OU EST LE SUCRE! NOOOOON!

Vic: I own nothing except a certain annoying blond's benign attitude. And I own Lily Dearborn.

Me: I own everything. And I OWN LEGOLAS'S HAIR!

Vic: What is with her lately? *spots sugar pack behind the desk* oh dear Valar. She is too hyper to do the disclaimer, so I, Victor Johns (termed by Lily as Victor Earnshaw) shall do the disclaimer. Lily owns her stuff. Don't feel like talking about Draco right now. Please PM her and tell her to stop talking about Wuthering Heights... yeah...

Me: Vic, you naughty boy. I own Boromir Sauron and of course Annia. Pick up that pack of sugar Vic. Give it to me.

Vic: No.

Me: Find. I also own Vic Earnshaw.

Vic: ...readers...I'm really Vic Johns...so please do not go getting any ideas."

Me: Love you Vic.

Vic: Love u too Lily.

* * *

So, I'm going to time out. Meaning; right now, let's pretend that the battle is over. Legolas and the others are running back to the caves to find the bride of our dear prince. This chapter is dedicated to Manwathiel16 who reviewed twice in one day.

Lots of angst and drama in this chappie. Ha ha ha, it's about time right?

* * *

"Don't be afraid, laddie," said Gimli, though his voice shook. "She will be there."

"I must see her before I believe it," said Legolas. They hurried on until they came to the cavern.

"Annia!" yelled Legolas, his voice echoing around the chamber, now silent and empty. "Annia!"

There was no answer. Gimli cursed and lit a torch, and then proceeded to scan the ruined city for any sign of the green ghosts. Legolas's heart fell.

"She is not here, Aragorn," he said softly. "I can feel it. Her soul long since passed from here."

"Legolas!" came a sharp cry from Aragorn. They ran to him and saw that he was pointing at a deep, jagged crack that ran through the middle of the chamber. "It is a wonder that we did not fall in."

"Oh...no," cried Legolas, reaching into the crack. He drew out something that gleamed in the light of Gimli's torch. It was a golden chain with a locket hanging from it; it was open. Legolas drew it close to his eyes to see a portrait of a young girl of perhaps five or six, holding in her arms a baby. Both were smiling. "It's the locket she wore."

"Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" screamed Legolas, falling to his knees. Aragorn and Gimli covered their ears. "She could never have survived that fall."

Without warning, Legolas fell back. The other two cried out and hurried to his side; he promptly began to convulse, screaming as he did so. Annia's name was often mixed up in the shrieks, and promptly he went still. He opened his eyes, which were no longer blue but a silver grey, and stared, unblinking and unseeing, at the dim ceiling far above. Aragorn dropped to his knees.

"No, mellon nin! You cannot fade, not now! Not after what you promised her, not after everything! Breathe, Legolas, breathe!"

"Heal him, Aragorn," said Gimli urgently. "Like you healed Annia, all those times."

"I can do nothing, Gimli. This is something not even Lord Elrond himself could cure."

Gimli's eyes winked violently. "Then this means-"

"Yes, Gimli." Aragorn bent and swung Legolas's lanky form into his arms, staggering slightly from the weight. "Within a few days, he will have passed beyond all our help, and he will die."

* * *

Annia opened her eyes. They met a scarlet and grey sky; she blinked confusedly. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being in the Hall of the Dead and seeing a huge crack opening in the floor beneath her feet. Suddenly, someone stumbled over her and fell, flat on the ground.

"Are you all right, Mr. Frodo?" she heard.

"Yes," she barely heard a much fainter voice.

Then someone else stumbled over her.

Then she heard a barely muffled shout. "Mr. Frodo, it's Annia!"

The two faces she had worried so much about came into view. She smiled and then pulled them both into her arms, feeling both of them take some strength and hope from the hug. "How did you come here, Lady Annia?"

"That, I don't know," said Annia. "Where are we?"

"Why, we're in Mordor," said Sam. He pointed up away to Mount Doom away in the distance.

"Come, Sam," she heard Frodo say, in stronger tones. He even offered his hand to Annia to help her up, but she shook her head and rose.

The three resumed their trudge. Perhaps the will of a fading ellon was keeping Annia hidden from unfriendly eyes as she straggled through brambles and over rocks with Frodo and Sam.

All at once, Frodo collapsed. "I can't-I can't take it anymore, Sam," he moaned. "It's too heavy."

"I can't carry it, Mr. Frodo," said Sam, stooping so Annia could lift Frodo onto his shoulders. "But I _can _carry you! Just tell Sam where to go, and he'll go."

They had been walking like that for some ten minutes when Annia heard a hiss. "Clever little hobbitses, got out of her cave. But I'll get you now, take the-"

Annia had not spent thirteen years in a martial-arts academy for nothing. With a spinning back kick, she knocked Gollum out of the air, and ended up on the ground, with her knees on his neck. Annia swallowed. She did not want Frodo to lose his finger-but Gollum was necessary for the ring to be destroyed. UNtil a sudden thought occurred to her; not whispering itself into her mind from outside, but very much her own thought.

_I can take the Ring. _

"Frodo," she said urgently. "I will need you to stay here, with Sam, and hold Smeagol for me. I will destroy the ring in your stead."

At once Frodo backed away, his eyes wide. But something deep inside him seemed to know she was only saying it for his sake, and knew that she alone out of all the Fellowship had never thought of the ring with anything but repulsion. He slowly took off the ring, and slid its chain over Annia's head. Annia was expecting to at once become weighed down, but she felt as if it were any ordinary ring.

"Now, sit on the creature. And I promise to be back in, like, ten minutes."

Frodo and Sam gingerly took her place. Annia set off at a run toward the mountain.

There had to be at least something she could do.

When she darted into the gateway, she plunged on through the smoke towards the end. The moment she neared it, she immediately perceived that she was not alone. And even before he stepped out of the haze, she knew who it was.

"So, human girl, you are here at last."

He turned toward her, not even with a definite form. Whenever he moved, he seemed to blow out of shape, as it were.

"Yes," she said haltingly. "I'm here."

Suddenly something strange flew over her, as it had the day she had gotten her pointed ears and had risen into the air. Annia raised her arms and began to speak, feeling a strange pain piercing her body as she did so.

"I, Annia River, heal you, fallen soul. Hearken to my words; come to meet the light. There is good yet left in every creature that walks this earth-even you, Lord of the Black Land. Be what you were. I give you sunlight and shadow, mist and wind, moonlight and starlight, laughter upon the breezes, I give you all that is left within this world, its happiness, its beauty. You were of it once; come forth and into the dawn."

The shape standing immobilized before her seemed to writhe and to scream out, "No!"

"I give you the taste of rain upon your lips, the taste of berries in summer, I give you the light of fire and of the skies, and I give you the love held by this earth. Sauron, hear me, and return to what you were once, long ago."

The figure fell to its knees at her feet. She did not move; she could plainly see doubt in her eyes. A change seemed to be taking over it; its blackness was lightening to the unmistakable white of elven robes, she could see a wealth of sandy curls, very much like the hair of Pippin, Merry, and Sam. The face took a shape, and she could see wide brown eyes, a pale skin, and thin hands with black nails, rounding out to become very human hands. Annia smiled. "Let it go, Sauron. Let the Ring go. Live."

Annia looked back at the ring around her neck, only to find that it was dulling, growing black. The runes on the side had faded; in confusion, she pulled it off and stared at it.

It was now no more than a lead band.

With a smile she cast it into the flames, and then turned to look at the man, now no more than a boy, who looked to be about ten to eleven years old.

She reeled back in shock.

* * *

Annia POV

I knew this boy. I knew him. I didn't remember where I'd seen his eyes before, but I knew that I did.

I knew I had seen his first smile.

I knew I had heard his first laugh, seen him take his first steps.

I knelt before him, putting my hands on his shoulders, looking deep into his wide, unblinking eyes, searching. He looked into mine, petrified. Suddenly, images began to wash over me; looking down at a baby with a pair of innocent brown eyes, pressing my lips to his forehead, saying, "He will be called Melith-the light of love."/*

I saw a boy toddling in a nursery, towards me, collapsing into my arms and shrieking with laughter. A tall man stepping behind me, lifting us both as one into his arms, and all of us laughing. Signing the papers of an apprentice, waving goodbye to this same boy, now about ten.

Then wailing in the night, a single name. "Melith, Melith! Why did I let you go? Why did I let you from my side? What have you become, my son? They cry the name of Sauron with curses, and I only weep for the son I lost!"

My son.

At once, I remembered. "Melith. Melith, do you remember me still?" I reached out and pressed the boy to me, my hand shaking in his curls. "Do you remember how I would read to you about Gil-Galad before you slept? Do you remember how we used to ride every day? How when your ada fell off his horse, you said you would like to try it and then went and did it the very next day. Do you remember who you are? What we were? Who I am?"

He pulled away, and then laid his face against my neck, breaking into sobs. "Naneth. I was waiting for you. I knew you would come. I knew you would come someday and free me. My name is Melith. Your name is Estelin; and you are my naneth."

I remembered now, as clear as if it were yesterday. Unable to bear the pain of what my son had done, what he had turned into, what he had become after I let him go for his apprenticeship. The Valar, telling me I could journey into another world, until the time was right to bring him back. Unable to wait for the right time for my death, and throwing myself from the top of a tower in my grief. Being born into my world, into America, thinking always that something was missing, and not knowing what truly was.

"What was here, my dear?" I asked softly. I burst into sobs and pulled him to me once more. "I'm sorry, Melith. I left you. I deserted you when you needed me. I could not bear my own ache, when all the time I ought to have known that Sauron was _not _you-that all the hatred in this world had come by your damned tutor, and he lodged it in your body and used you as a puppet. I ought to have seen, my child. How could I ever have believed it was truly you, that same child I rocked to sleep as a baby thousands of years ago?"

"It doesn't matter, nana," he cried. "You always promised you would save me. And you saved me, nana. You saved me."

It didn't matter that the fires were rising, or that I was covered in soot, or that our eyes were red and swollen with our tears. Blindly, I lifted my son into my arms and stumbled from the mountain, reaching Frodo and Sam seconds before Mount Doom exploded.

* * *

I cried a bit while writing this chapter. It's sad, right? A little kid forced to do evil things by a culmination of all the world's negative emotions from the beginning of time.

* * *

Gandalf POV

When Gwaihir flew down to the two little figures lying on the rocks, he at once spoke.

"Gandalf, there are not two-there are four. Two hobbits, a human woman, and an elven child."

"Annia!" I gasped. "Take them, Gwaihir, quickly."

And so the eagles picked them up, one by one. But Annia could not be separated from the young elven boy. They clutched each other and would not let go of each other; so Gwaihir lifted them both and we flew off above the ruins of an already-ruined land.

* * *

Legolas POV

I had woken.

What was stranger is that I had suddenly been overrun with the memories of a previous life; being the father of a child who had been pulled into darkness, my wife killing herself from grief, and me choosing to remain in Middle-Earth for his sake.

The first thing I became aware of was the fact that there was someone lying next to me, her back against my chest. I swallowed. _They have found her body._

But she turned and stared into my eyes. "Wake up, meleth nin. Do you doubt that I am real?"

I grabbed her and kissed her soundly; when we broke apart, there were tears in both of our eyes.

"I have remembered a previous life, meleth-nin," I said, swallowing. The image of the boy being consumed by shadows was still too fresh in my mind. "I think-I believe I was the father of the child that became Sauron."

Her eyes began to stream. "You remembered," she said. "Do you remember my name, Legolas?"

"Estelin," I breathed. I wondered how I could have forgotten her, she who looked exactly as she did over six thousand years ago. "Do you remember mine?"

"Orolin," she said.

"And the name of our son?" I asked. That, I had not remembered.

"Melith," She said, cupping my cheek and crying anew. "Melith was our son."

"I let you die, Annia," he said. "I let you die that day. I should have guarded you."

Annia withdrew and shook her head. She smiled. "Look on your other side."

Bemused, I turned to see a child with sandy curls, and long-lashed eyes. He was sound asleep. Recognition pierced through me; I remembered him now, my son as he had been, before the darkness had taken him so long ago. I lifted him silently and then began to cry in earnest as the grief that Annia and I had felt so long ago shot through us again, and we held Melith to us as if we would never let him go.

"You saved him, Annia," I whispered as our tears rained down on his sleeping face. "You saved him. Did I not always say that you were incredible"

"Thousands of years too late," she murmured, brushing back one damp curl lying over Melith's eyes. "What was I thinking? I could have journeyed to Mordor and saved him myself, so long ago. My own grief got in my way. And what he endured in that time..."

I hugged them both tightly. "But we have him now, meleth nin, and he has us, and we have each other."

* * *

Aragorn POV

I ran up at once to the sickroom when I was told that Legolas had awakened. To my surprise, I found Gandalf sitting on a chair outside the door, listening with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes to the rising and falling voices within, speaking in Tengwar. That was an elvish tongue I had never learned.

"Gandalf," I said in confusion, "Who is in there?" I knew for a fact that Legolas did not know Tengwar.

"Legolas and Annia," he said with a smile. "And their son."

"Then Lady Annia has had the child?" I asked, bemused. "But it has only been, what, three and a half weeks at most? How is that possible, Gandalf? Such a thing would surely kill her."

"No. She and Legolas have found their son that was lost aeons ago," he said. "Their names were Estelin, Orolin...and Melith."

I gasped.

"The names are known to you, I take it?"

I nodded, dumbstruck. Melith, the child who had become Sauron; his mother Estelin, who had killed herself from her grief, his father Orolin, determined to be born upon Middle-Earth again and again until he could save the child he had lost so many years ago, and find the wife who had left Middle Earth itself.

"So it has been so long..and they are together at last," I said. I made to open the door. But Gandalf shook his head.

"Mellon-nin, they have so many years to make up for," he said. "Leave them be, at least for a little while."

But as Aragorn walked away, he could hear the laughter of a child who had not laughed since the first age of Middle Earth, and could feel the joy and pain present in equal measure in the hearts of his two dear friends, reunited knowing who they truly were after close on six thousand years.

* * *

Reuniting with the rest of the fellowship comes next chapter :P Aragorn's coronation, marriage with Arwen, etc, jokes played by the twin sons of elrond, even Glorfindel puts in an appearance...and at long last we know why Annia had those visions, I guess. Annia will be faced with the decision to take Melith and go back to Earth because existing there will be very painful for Melith (he WAS forced to become Sauron after all) and staying with Legolas and helping him recover slowly from the trauma.

Review? This chappie was extra long so I feel I deserve it. I know it wasn't the 4000 words I promised, because one part I wrote sounded stupid to me so I cut it off.

Thanks reviewers! Dork Dog, Dancing Chestnut, pixies, Cretha Loesing...manwathiel16. Hope you reviewers (and all beloved readers) enjoyed this chapter of Through the Looking Glass.


	30. A Decision

Me: Eh, he, he, eh, he, he, eh, he, he

Vic: LILY! *snatches sugar packet* where in the name of the Vala are you getting all this sugar?!

Me, dancing around room: It's Dad's secret store.

Vic: Your dad...has a secret store...of sugar...

Me: Yup!

Vic, shaking his head: Ignore her, readers. She has been ill, and she also has been watching Voldemort Laughing Like A Retard for Ten Hours on YouTube...I have no idea why...and when I say for ten hours...I meant she watched the whole ten hours...though I have no idea why a sane person would do that...

Me: Because it's super funny. Especially how he moves his wand hand. And plus it was great inspiration while writing this chapter, even though the chapter certainly did not take me ten hours to write.

Vic: Okay...

Me: Get on with the disclaimer.

Vic, bowing head: Alright, adored redheaded fair one with eyes like shining emeralds, you own nothing except Boromir, Annia, Melith, and me. I own nothing but you and Draco.

* * *

Omniscient POV

The next day, everyone was clamoring to see Legolas and Annia. When the elven warrior had been carried into Minas Tirith, his eyes a pale silver, blinded, word had spread quickly that the Prince of Mirkwood was fading; Gandalf had suspected that Thranduil might arrive the following day. But when news had come of the fact that his wife had been found, very much alive, holding tightly to the limp, barely breathing body of of an elven child, the entire city had rejoiced, for they knew that now, he would recover. When Annia had been placed next to Legolas, something in him had felt her presence, and his eyes had begun to darken to their own blue; and he had felt that his son he had lost had returned.

However, Gandalf was not letting anyone disturb the three. They stayed barricaded in their room, from which anyone could hear sobbing and laughter from a floor below.

On the third day, a delegation of elves arrived; elves from Rivendell, Lothlorien, and Mirkwood. Thranduil demanded at once to see his son, for he had heard that he was fading and believed that he still was.

"Calm yourself, Thranduil," said Gandalf. "Your son is well; his wife has been found, and so has their son."

Thranduil stood dummbfounded with his mouth open. He looked very like Legolas himself, but his eyebrows were frosted with silver and his jaw was more pointed. Gandalf thought how strange it would be to see Legolas's face in such an expression.

"His wife and son?" said Thranduil at last.

"Yes," said Gandalf. "His wife, it seemed, was lost in a bargain they made with the dead. But she awoke on the plains of Mordor, and destroyed the ring herself. When she was found and brought back, he began to recover at once."

"And...the child? How long has he been married to his wife?"

"More than a thousand years, Thranduil. The child himself is not older than fifty summers at the most."

"May I-may I see them?" Thranduil was still in shock. Legolas and he had always been open with each other. _Now I know why he refused to fiercely all those offers of marriage, _he thought. _He was already married. _

At once, a child did rush into the room, clad in white silken robes. Around his neck was a pendant shaped like an eagle stretching his wings. He was clearly a full-blooded elf; his hair, however, was not like Legolas's, as it was a sandy, curly brown. Thranduil knew that the boy before him had seen more horror than any living being should ever see, and looked deep into his dark blue eyes, which were not Legolas's either.

"Have you seen my Ada, Gandalf?" asked Melith. "Where is he? He said he would go out to bring food, and that we must leave our room soon and greet the people who have been wanting so much to see us."

"Your Ada did not come this way," said Gandalf. Thranduil noted in confusion how familiar he seemed to be with the boy. In fact, Gandalf had been a great friend of Melith's parents so long ago. "How are you feeling, little Melith?"

"I have an ache," said Melith slowly, bringing his hand to his chest. "Here."

"It is only natural," said Gandalf. "It will go, with time."

Melith shook his head. "Gandalf, it will-it will hurt to stay in Middle-Earth. We have been talking, ada, naneth, and I-and naneth says that I would be better in her own world, where she was born. They are thinking of taking me there, because I know how to open the weft between the worlds. It was I who opened it to bring Naneth into Middle Earth. Gandalf. I do not think I can live in Middle Earth-not after everything. Ada said that Naneth and I could pass over the sea, and wait for him there."

His lip trembled. Thranduil was studying him. What was it that this child had seen that was so terrible that he had to flee to another world or sail to Valinor? His name, too, seemed to strike something in his memory, though he could not remember where he had heard it before.

"This is your grandfather, Melith," said Gandalf, seeing that Thranduil and Melith were now staring at each other.

"But I do not have a grandfather," said Melith, turning and looking at Gandalf. "He fell in battle."

"Your grandfather then fell in battle," said Gandalf. "Thranduil of the Greenwood is your grandfather now."

If possible, Thranduil was more dumbstruck than ever. Grandfather then? Grandfather now? What were they talking about?

So, of course, Gandalf sat down and told Thranduil the whole story after sending Melith back to his room.

* * *

"Elladan! Elladan, where are you?" said a black-haired elf, scurrying about the passages of the city, keeping to the shadows.

At once, another identical elf dropped down from a bookshelf and stood beside him.

"Here, Elrohir," said the other elf.

"Good," said Elrohir. "Because Legolas is coming this way with a trayful of food."

"What does that have to do with us?" said Elladan.

Elrohir just grinned wickedly. Elladan understood at once. "Oh, I see. But that would not be a good idea. The food is for his wife."

"Good point. Let's think of something else," said Elrohir. "Hard to think of Legolas being married, isn't it? I mean, if you look at him as an elfling..."

"Word has it he's been married for over a millennium," said Elladan. "He kept his marriage secret from his father for such a long time. And apparently they have a son who doesn't look like them, born about fifty years ago."

"He's supposed to have his mother's eyes exactly."

At once, something small and white flitted past the door. The twins looked at each other and then at the door.

"Did you just see a small elfling?" said Elladan.

"I think I did," said Elladan. "Do you think that's him?"

"Let's find out," said Elrohir, and the two promptly gave chase.

The elfling did not seem to know they were chasing him at first, but once he realized that they were, he cleverly hid himself. The two older elves jogged around for about half an hour trying to find him, and when they gave up and slumped on a bench, the said elfling wriggled out of a vase right in front of them, turning it over, and smashing it.

"I think we have found a kindred spirit," whispered Elladan.

"So do I," said Elrohir. Nobody paid attention to the smashed vase.

"What's your name?" said Elladan to the elfling.

"Melith," whispered the child.

"That is a nice name," said Elrohir. Then his wicked grin returned. "Do you want to go play some tricks, little one?"

So the two elves and the one little elfling rushed from the room, looking for someone to prank who wasn't Legolas.

"We can prank my daedadar," said Melith, panting as they ran. (daedadar=grandfather)

"He's got nerve," muttered Elrohir.

Elladan nodded. He, Elrohir, and Legolas had once pranked Thranduil during a council meeting and it had not turned out well.

"If he succeeds, I'll take off my hat to him," said Elladan.

"You don't wear hats."

"It was a figure of speech, oh-so intelligent Elrohir of Rivendell. Now, let us see what our friend's son can do."

* * *

The Fellowship was reunited at last.

All ten of them had come through to the end.

"We did it!" yelled Annia, all dignity forgotten, after all the hugs and thanks and exultations. "I would have kept the Ring, hadn't it been poisonous."

Six pairs of confused eyes met hers.

"They do not know what happened...right," said Annia. "Well, let me break it to you. I destroyed the ring before I threw it into the fire."

"How?"

"I simply banished from it the hatred and deceit that had been poured into it," said Annia. "And I healed the one who wielded it, of what had happened to him."

"You met...you met _him_?" asked Frodo.

"I met him. I healed him, and I recognized him."

At once an elfling poked his head around the door. "Naneth, hide me," he said. "Elladan and Elrohir are out for my blood. I overturned a kettle of water onto Lord Elrond's head and said it was them."

Annia laughed. "Still no different. Come here. They know not to enter this room."

"Who is that?" asked Frodo.

"He is our son," said Annia. "His name is Melith. And I healed _him_."

It took a few seconds for them all to understand. When they did, and were made to understand that Sauron had been made to do evil by another, Gandalf, Annia, and Legolas told them the entire tale.

"There is one more thing," said Annia, tears pricking at her eyelids. She valiantly blinked them away. Legolas took her hand.

"It is for the best, Meleth-nin," he said, grasping it tightly. "And it will not be long."

"Melith and I are leaving Middle Earth," said Annia, nearly crying at the gasps and cries of "No!" that went around the room. "He cannot stay here. I am going back to my world with him."


	31. Conversation again

Lily: Groan. Ow, ow, ow, ow...

Vic: Oh, honey, what happened?

Lily: I fell over my charger in the dark when I went to plug it in. CURSES! Ow, my foot really hurts.

Vic: Should I do the disclaimer?

Lily: Um, if you want to.

Vic: OH NO! SUGAR CRASH ALERT!

Lily: Snoore.

Vic, sneaking away: Don't tell her I didn't do the disclaimer.

Lawyer, standing in doorway: YOU SHALL NOT PAAASSS!

Vic: Oh! Ok, ok, I own Lily and Draco's insanity, she owns Borry, Annia, and Melith. Can I go now?

*lawyer vanishes in a puff of smoke*

Vic: Sheesh. These disclaimers really are necessary.

Lily: Smirk.

* * *

Omniscient POV

* * *

Annia had been to many weddings in her time; now, she realized, even more weddings than she had previously thought. At Aragorn and Arwen's wedding, many people were unashamedly winking their eyes, Lord Elrond among them. Melith merely sat in his chair between her and Legolas and held one of each of their hands, unwilling to speak, but watching the scene with interested eyes. His hands left his parents' and flew to his mouth when he saw Elladan and Elrohir wiping their eyes.

"The twin elves are crying, Naneth," he said.

"I would, if I were them," said Annia, with a smile.

After the wedding feast had begun, Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other questioningly. "Should we do it now?"

Elrohir nodded.

The two strode up to the groom. Aragorn rose upon seeing them.

"Congratulations, brother," said Elladan. "You have married Arwen in spite of all the world being against it."

"Just remember," said Elrohir threateningly, "If you break her heart, I break your neck."

Aragorn inclined his head. "If I could ever be cruel enough to do so, I would break my own neck."

"Um...Good," said Elladan. "We'll leave now." They promptly retired to their own places, leaving Arwen staring after them.

"What was that about?" she said.

"A last warning for me to look after you as you deserve to be," said Aragorn.

Arwen shook her head. "My brothers."

"Your brothers," agreed Aragorn.

* * *

In Annia's room that night, Legolas and Melith were fast asleep.

Annia, however, was not.

She was, yet again, thinking of their departure back to Earth. She knew that she would ache terribly at leaving; but the pain of what Sauron had done would haunt Melith for as long as he lived, but in a world where he had done nothing, it would not be an existence of guilt for him.

She opened a door beside the window and strode out onto the balcony, leaning on the balustrade, and looked out into the night. Ever since the day she had returned to her former body, she could see very well in the dark. She quietly began to dance about the balcony, lightly and silently, and then began to sing softly. She sang in the tongue she had spoken long ago, and then stopped, for her voice seemed to catch.

_I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave Legolas. I want to stay. But I must go, for his sake. But I will leave Legolas nothing. _

"Annia?" She turned to see Legolas standing at the door, looking out at her.

"I was just thinking," she said, pressing her hands to the railing. "Only..."

"You were thinking about when you have to go." he said.

"I know. I was. But..." she closed her eyes. "I'm going to stay here, until the baby is born."

He sat beside her. "I would be happy if you did. But why?"

Annia smiled. "Because you need an heir to take your rule of Mirkwood when you pass it on, and I could not leave you alone. I am taking our son; and you must have our daughter. What is more, in our world...I do not think I could raise Melith and Ayiel alone. Not at twenty with a not-very-well paying job. I could say that Ayiel was the result of an affair, and gladly bear the shame that comes with being an unwed mother, but I would not be able to say that for Melith. And it is with him that my duty lies now. It would have to be either him...or her."

"Annia? Is there no way you could remain?"

"We could...try to help Melith," she whispered, checking that the door was closed. "I know that knowing that I do not want to go hurts him, too. But this is the land of his birth; he would truly be lost in my home, he would not know where to turn. True, Middle-Earth is only a fantasy there, but I still believe that he might heal in time. But he is determined that he cannot stay here."

"We will talk. In the morning. Ask him if he is sure. You haven't talked to him about your world yet, have you?"

Annia shook her head. "No, I have not."

"Then let us hope that by the time Ayiel is born, he will have recovered. A year is a long time, and now that you are a full elf there is no chance of the baby coming early."

"Well, then. All we can do is wait and hope."

The two sat in silence until the sun rose, and then went back into their room.

* * *

So...yeah...I know. More excitement in store! This story will continue for about five more chapters, and end with the birth of Ayiel and Melith's decision to leave or remain in Middle Earth. Glorfindel makes an appearance and Thranduil nearly has a coronary when he finds out Annia used to be human.

So...see you next time! Hope this cliffy was cliffy-ish enough for you!

Bye bye!

A Diamond in the Rough


	32. Authors note

So...umm...yeah...

Not going to post until I get three more reviews.

Yeah.

I HATE HOLDING THIS STORY FOR RANSOM! I HAVE THE NEXT CHAPTER READY TO GO! WHY DO YOU GUYS DO THIS TO ME! I HAVE OVER 3,000 VIEWS...so I should have at least maybe 25 reviews.

With Best Love,

The Very Guilty Diamond in the Rough


	33. Ash Nazg

So...Greetingses, readerses. This is an excerpt from my new story, Ash Nazg of Sauron, Huidhenel of Middle Earth. You musssst review or I won't give you any more chapterses for this story. And if you don't get any more chapterses Vicky won't get to do any more disclaimerses.

Vic: Please, Lily, don't talk like Gollum.

Lily: Fine. ION except Ash Nazg/ Huidhenel. And this is Legomance 'cuz Im addicted to it.

* * *

IN CASE YOU DIDN'T READ THE DISCLAIMER ABOVE! THIS IS _**NOT** _A PART OF THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS!

* * *

I am a secret.

That summarizes a great deal of my life, as a matter of fact. My name is Ash Nazg, created, as was the One Ring, from the fires of Mount Doom, or Orodruin as it is sometimes called. I was molded out of its flames into the likeness of a pitch-eyed and black-haired elf. However, more often I am called by 'Ash' simply to distinguish between me and the Nazg of my father when he consults with his Nazguls, his ringwraiths.

There are twelve on this earth who know of my existence.

One is my father, Lord Sauron. Nine are the Nazguls, who owe their allegiance to me as well as to him. The other two are orcs who aided my father in caring for me as a younger child.

This is my history, which truly began the day that my father decided, against his will, to allow me to go and retrieve his ring. His Ally, Saruman the White, was unfaithful and would take it himself. We both knew this, Father and I. So I was sent to make sure that did not happen.

* * *

"You know, do you not, what you must do?" The figure of my father was blowing anxiously about the room, twisting out of shape every time he moved. I stood by my bed carefully putting on all the leather things that he had instructed me to; things for my arms and shoulders and calves, and so on.

"Yes, Father, I know."

"And you know what you must do for aid? It will summon the Nazgul if your need is dire, but it you only need to be hidden, it will make you invisible, as if you wore my Ring. Recite it so I know you have not forgotten."

I put my hands behind my back and obediently began to recite.

"_Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul._ It is the verse on your ring, Father, and I will not forget."

"That is good. But you will, inevitably, encounter other beings than orcs," said Father. I nodded.

"I am ready. I will pass as an elf, since you have taught me the Sindarin tongue, and-"

"Ash, you will need to change your name."

This stopped me short. I could not believe that I myself had not thought of it; walking Middle-Earth by the name of Ash Nazg would be foolish and inadvisable. From the day that my father drew up the flame from the mountain and had it poured into the image of a girl, he had only entrusted his greatest secret-the fact that I am alive-to a few. My name should not, at any costs, be known.

"What do you wish me to change it to?"

"It is your choice, Ash. It is your name."

"Huidhenel," I said at once. "I shall go by Huidhenel outside our land, then."

"Ash," he said, as I made to salute him as all those of Mordor did, "I wish you to be safe. You are the only creation of mine which does not depend on the ring for its life. If it falls, this land, too, will go along with me. But you are not tied to it, or to me; but your loss will change me in a way I would not like to imagine. And for that I also wish to tell you; if ever you wish to appear dead, recite the last sentence of the verse and it will bring your life-force to me to be sustained, and your body, where you leave it, cannot be touched. Do you understand-Huidhenel?"

"I do, Father."

"Good. My blessings go with you, child. For both of our sakes, stay alive. I have given you such words as will never let you die, if only you use them. And if you run short of food, drink orc-blood. There will be plenty of orcs about the land, enough for you to kill some without it being known. My own and Saruman's alike are at your disposal."

"Thank you for all you have told me. I shall not fail you," I said. "I shall be safe."

"Thank you, my Ash," he said. "I am physically bound to the Ash Nazg, but to the Ash that I created, I owe all. Go, child."

I turned and left, grabbing my pack from where it stood.

* * *

After the Council of Elrond. Huidhenel was not there, obviously. I refer to her as that from now on.

* * *

"Elrond," said Gandalf. "There is a pressing matter I must speak with you about. It may be even more pressing than the One Ring."

Elrond followed Gandalf to a balcony, where he waited for Gandalf to begin speaking.

"There is rumor of a woman of Mordor in Middle-Earth," said Gandalf. "She unexpectedly aids small villages in the crisis of orc-raids, and, at the end, seems to fall exhausted. But if anyone approaches to give her aid, she will rise, mouth black with orc-blood, and vanish. As if she wielded a ring herself."

"This is indeed strange," said Elrond. "Were you able to find anything else about her?"

"I met her," said Gandalf. He closed his eyes. "And it was not an experience I wish to relive."

"What happened?" asked Elrond.

"She was drinking the blood of fallen orcs. That much I could see. She looks like an elleth, but for one fact; her hands do not have fingernails but sharp knife-like extensions which flick in and out at her will, her hair is purely black-you know that no elf can have truly black hair-and eyes that seem like bottomless pits."

"And her name?"

"She goes by the name Huidhenel, so far as I have heard. When she saw me, she cried aloud in the black speech, and vanished. The sound of the words themselves seemed to strike fear into me."

"What else is there?"

"None, Elrond. I have searched books and annals, looking for any word of an elleth of Mordor, but I have found nothing."

"I see. We must hope the fellowship does not meet her; she may be more deadly than an army of orcs."

Gandalf nodded. "Oh, there was one more thing-when I saw her, she was wounded. As you know, flesh wounds of elves heal almost immediately. The blood that fell from her arm before the wound closed was bright orange and yellow, not red at all, and when it fell on the ground, it hissed as if under flame."


	34. What to call this chap?

Vic: Fineses. I'll give you the new chapterses. You're being sneaky little hobbitses for not giving me reviewses. And I'm going home. So I won't be doing any more disclaimerses. I hope you are happyses. So give me some reviewses.

Lily: OMG! You could have totally passed as me doing a Gollum imitation right there.

Vic: I know. Wait-passed as you imitating Gollum?

Lily: Yes.

Vic: Lily owns A, B, M, and V. I own DMSBA. Did someone say snakeses? I likes to eat wormses. But plah! I don't likes Orcses.

Lily: Facepalm.

* * *

The days flew; months passed. After seven months Legolas, Gimli, Annia, and Melith remained in Gondor. The hobbits had gone off long since to their home, and Gandalf had accompanied them. Melith seemed to lighten day by day; his laughter was heard often as he played with the other children. No one else had been told Melith's true identity, and as only the elves had heard of the name, he could go by his own among Men.

"Ada," said Melith one night, when the family was preparing for bed, "When can I have a horse?" Melith was trying to lace up his nightshirt, but was turning his front into a mass of knots instead.

Legolas laughed and began undoing the knots so he could lace the shirt up properly. "You may have mine. He is a good friend and has borne me far, but his work with me is done. My own two feet can carry me where I need to go now."

"How long are we going to stay in Gondor?" asked Melith. "Aren't we going to go to your home? To Mirkwood?"

"You are right," said Legolas, frowning slightly. "We must go soon, before it is too late for naneth to travel."

"And that," said Annia, coming in, "is one thing I want to talk about. We must go soon, in the next two or three weeks. But Melith, before that you must send me back to my own world for a little while. I need to-put some affairs in order."

Melith nodded.

* * *

The next day, after saying goodbye to the others, Annia watched Melith at work.

From deep within his robes, he pulled a necklace. She looked at it curiously; she seemed to recognize it, but she could not think where she had last seen it.

"It is the necklace ada gave you when he asked you to marry him," said Melith. In confusion Annia's hand went to her neck, but Melith shook his head. "Not _this _time-last time."

This necklace he put on. He then traced out a square on the floor and spoke quietly in Tengwar. At once the floor seemed to fall away.

"You need to jump in, naneth. You will come out when you left-when I pulled the fellowship back to middle-earth."

"And when I want to come back?"

He handed her the necklace. "Put it on and you can come back. You will come right back to the point where you left."

"I love you, Melith."

"I love you, Nana."

Annia embraced both her son and her husband, and then with an "I'll see you soon!" she jumped through the hole. Soon a blinding light appeared before her and she came out in her own living room.

She looked down at her list.

1. Call Jen. Explain everything.

That was all that there was on it; but it was all she needed to do. She would return to this same moment when and if she returned with Melith.

Annia moved over to the phone and dialed Jen's number. She got it wrong on the first two tries, something which surprised her. She hadn't even remembered that Jen's phone number was on speed dial.

"Hi, Jen?"

"Is everything okay, Annia? You sound a bit funny."

_Well, I would, after spending more than a year in middle-earth. _

"Can you come over? Soon? I need to tell you something, and you're probably not going to believe me at first..."

Jen, apparently, had been worried, and had come over as soon as possible. When she let herself in, Annia was lying on the couch and wondering what would happen when she never returned. What would her mother do? If Melith decided that his home was in Middle-Earth and decided not to come to Earth? What if-and this was a thought often present in Annia's mind-what if Ayiel's birth would take too great a toll on her? What would Melith and Legolas do if she died?

At that thought, a sharp kick interrupted Annia's thoughts and she smiled. It was as if Ayiel was already trying to take care of her. That kick had very much said, _Don't be silly. You will come through this all right. _

"Annia?"

Annia started up to find Jen staring at her with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

"Um...yes, I must realize what this looks like..."

"So can I, but...how? I saw you two days ago and..." Jen's voice trailed off.

"Can we just do a question and answer session?" asked Annia, feeling desperately awkward.

"Er. Yes. So. Question number one. Are you pregnant?"

Annia nodded.

"How far along?"

"About...let me think...seven months."

Jen's forehead creased. "Annia, that wasn't very sensible. You could have at least told me, if you didn't want Mom to know. Have you even been to a doctor?"

"No."

Jen put her hand to her face. "Really? With school and everything? How did you hide it?"

"This is where my story comes in," said Annia. "So...I was taking a bath on the second of July when I sort of fell down the drain..."

* * *

Five hours later, the story was told and Jen's mouth was hanging open.

"So you fell into the world of Middle-Earth, married Legolas several months later, and soon afterward found out you were going to have a baby. Then the Dead keep you as a bargain and you fall into Mordor, heal Sauron, and find out that _he's your son_."

"Yeah."

"I believe you," said Jen with a sigh. "You look different."

"I'm taller. Three inches taller, as we've been sitting this whole time and you didn't notice."

Jen grinned. "That, my girl, would bring you up to '5 "9, and one inch shorter than me." Jen was tall at five feet ten inches, and Annia had often wished that she had grown beyond five feet six inches.

"And one more thing, when that whole episode with me flying occurred, I became an elf," said Annia, moving back her hair to reveal pointed ears.

"Wonders never cease," said Jen. Then she sighed. "You aren't coming back, are you?"

"There's about a sixty percent chance that I won't. Melith is recovering quickly, but he still screams in his sleep most nights...so...I'm not sure."

"I'm going to miss you," said Jen, hugging her. The moment her arm touched the curve of Annia's belly, she jerked back.

"Ah-ha," said Annia with a grin. "So you felt it too."

"That was a hard kick," said Jen. "How does the baby kick so hard?"

"She's an elf. That's why."

"Do you feel it less now that you're not...human?"

Annia shook her head. "I don't think so. If Melith did not wake me in the night, she would, anyway. And that, dear girl, was a very feeble kick for her."

"Oh boy," said Jen. "And I thought I had it hard with Violet."

"I'm leaving now," said Annia suddenly.

"I know. Go." said Jen.

"Before I leave..." Annia put a small book into Jen's hand. "It's the journal I kept. Nearly every day is there but for the time we spent in Moria. It has stained pages, dusty and bloodstained mainly. I've been hurt a few times on my travels. But that may expl-"

At once a strange pain rippled through her. Jen saw her wince. "What is it?"

"Pain...in my stomach," gasped Annia. Then she breathed again. "It's passed."

"This is not good," said Jen. "This not, not, not good. I..."

Annia looked up at her in panic. "I still have four and a half more months to go."

"Four and a half!_?"_

"Elven babies are born after a year."

"Honey, I don't know about that but it would be perfectly believable for the baby to be coming at seven and a half months."

Another pain took her in its grasp. Jen sighed. "Hold on, Ans. I'm going to call an ambulance."

Annia looked desperately at Jen. "Are you sure she's coming now?"

It was at that moment that Annia's water broke.

Jen nodded grimly. "Yep. She's coming now."

Annia watched as Jen flipped open her cellphone. She heard her dial and then say, "I need an ambulance at 671 Glen Way, Building H...my sister's in labor."

* * *

So yeah. Ayiel is coming. Reason why: Annia was still carrying the effects of the morgul-blade, though it got better over time, and her body sped things up because if she hadn't gotten better she would have died in labor, most probably before she could give birth. Annia's going to make it back to middle-earth before Ayiel is born, though. Next chapter: Some nurses have fits and we meet Annia's mom.


	35. Ayiel

Lily: Hello! This story will be coming to an end soon.

Vic: I am now leaving back to my house.

Lily: Will you miss him, readers? I know I will.

Vic: I'll still call every day and drive over three times a week or so.

Lily: One more disclaimer, for old times' sake?

Vic: For old times' sake.

Lily: I own Annia, Boromir, Melith, and Vic. I also own Legolas's hair. Because Vic is going he won't be able to stop me from getting it.

Vic: I own Draco Malfoy's annoyingly benign attitude. I also own Lily Dearborn. And may I take this opportunity to say that she is the light of my life, the sun of my world, the moon of my night, my everything. I love her to the ends of the earth. I would do anything for her.

Lily: And I, Lilian Dearborn, declare now that I love Vic most on this world. You keep me going. You've taught me how to live after my heart was broken into pieces and I even thought about ending my life. You saved me. You are the reason I am alive today.

Vic: Lily, please...I beg of you not to talk about that. All I can say is that I thank my stars that you let me comfort you after Darian passed on, or you would have...you know...done it. *gives Lily a tight hug* When I saw you with that knife my heart almost stopped. Thank you for letting me save you.

Lily: So I, the future wife of Victor Johns, author of this fanfiction, hope you enjoy this chapter and didn't get confused by this long and poignant disclaimer.

Vic: I, future husband of Lilian Dearborn, hope you like this chapter. And I am proud to be her guardian angel. And her love.

* * *

"Oh, God, Jen, it hurts..." I moaned on the sofa. Jen was kneeling next to me, her face worried. "It's...it's going black. Everything."

"You CANNOT black out. You have to stay awake. Do you hear me?"

"Ugh," I said. "Why didn't you take an epidural for Vi?"

"Because I wanted the first real work of my life to be mine alone. And you can do this. You're strong."

I stopped groaning and bit my lip. Jen shook her head. "Let it out, Ans. It hurts less that way."

At that moment there was a knock on the door. Jen went to answer it and soon I was being lifted, and carried on a wheely bed thing into the ambulance. Jen sat next to me.

"Annia, I'm going to call mom."

I gasped. "NO! She'd be so disappointed! Jens! Please!"

But she would not be swayed. And my mother was at the hospital before I was.

* * *

Let me just say that painkillers barely work when you're in labor. My mom was sitting next to me, holding my hand. She looked worried and puzzled. She didn't know anything, obviously; Jen hadn't told her and I wouldn't have been able to if I wanted to.

When she went out for something, I ordered all the people in the room out.

"Why?" asked a doctor in confusion.

"Just because," I said, my breathing ragged. The truth was that I did not know whether the necklace would take both me and Ayiel back, and I didn't want to take the chance. And I could not put it on in front of all these people.

"Please!" I said, resorting to begging. I sat upright and winced. "Jen!"

Jen understood, and then pushed the doctor and nurses out, saying, "She's pretty young, you know, only twenty-" I felt like saying,

"I'm all of twenty-one, Jen!" but she obviously did not know that, so I went along with it.

"She needs some time alone."

When the door closed, I whipped out the necklace and put it on.

Oh, boy, were the authorities going to be flabbergasted at this.

* * *

Legolas POV

* * *

It was barely three minutes before Annia returned. Yet such a change had taken place; she was pale and sweaty, clad in a nightgown, and clearly in great pain.

"Annia," I said, kneeling beside her. "What happened?"

She turned fevered eyes on me. "The baby is coming."

A cold weight fell on my heart. If she was going into labor four and a half months early, there was little hope for our child. She would be born unable to live in the world, and perhaps the grief would cause Annia to fade. "How is this possible?"

"Does it matter?" she said. She tried to stand, and was unable to; I quickly scooped her up in my arms. We knew well where the chambers of healing were. I turned my eyes to Melith. "Tell the King to send his healers to the birthing room, and tell him that naneth has gone into labor."

Melith nodded. His eyes widened as Annia cried out in pain. "Is Naneth going to be all right?"

I looked down at her. She nodded, and then reached out to touch his cheek. "I am. Ayiel told me so. In a few hours you will have a sister, Melith." Melith ran off in the direction of Aragorn's room, and I hastened with all speed upstairs.

* * *

Aragorn POV

"How long will it be before your father sails?" I asked Arwen, who was sitting on the bed reading a letter her father had sent.

"I do not think he intends to leave for three or four years yet," she said. "When he does, I shall miss him greatly. I had never thought to be parted from him for all eternity." Her voice was sad; but before I could comfort her, someone burst through the door of the outer chamber, clearly in a great hurry. Arwen and I exchanged looks and then sped out to see Melith, who was out of breath.

"My ada said to send healers to the birthing room," he said, panting. Arwen's hand flew to her mouth.

I felt my heart sink.

"Is it time, then?"

"Yes, it is. Naneth is in terrible pain-" A tear rose in his eye and fell down his cheek. "But she says she will be all right."

"Thank you, Melith." I summoned a guard at once to find the healers. Melith departed at high speed and Arwen groaned, her head in her hands.

"That is it, then," she said. "That is too early even for a human child to be born. What will happen now?" I understood her grief. Children were rare among the elves; and a miscarriage was much rarer, and those mothers who had had them had often faded from grief, for many elves never even had children.

"Do not lose hope," I said. "You will be needed, Arwen. Stand by her. Go." Arwen nodded and ran the way that Melith had gone.

I returned to my chamber, praying to the Valar to preserve the lives of Annia and her child.

* * *

Legolas POV

Annia was determined not to utter a single cry.

Arwen and I had long since given up advising her against this. She lay in her bed, eyes wide, forehead furrowed, biting her lip, and sometimes hissing through her teeth. Melith had refused to leave the room. Several healers had cajoled, coaxed, and threatened; but he only shook his head the more firmly.

"I won't leave naneth," he said stubbornly. "You will have to carry me out. And I am an elf so that will not be easy for you to do if I do not want you to do it. Naneth is hurting, and she feels better with me nearby. Don't you, Naneth?"

Annia had tried to laugh for his sake.

"I do, Melith. But bringing a baby is bloody work."

Melith paled. He had seen his share of blood. I could see Annia cursing herself for that slip of the tongue, even as she struggled with her pain.

And half an hour, into the world came a golden-headed baby with eyes like her mother's. From the first breath she took, it was clear that she was very much fitting of the name we gave her.

Ayiel, Saving light.

And she was beautiful, like her mother.

* * *

(A/N: Unlike the other disclaimers, the one for this chap was a real conversation. I was engaged to Darian (I will not disclose his last name) and he died in a car accident. After his death I became suicidal, did cutting and all that, until Vic found me in my room with a knife. He is a close family friend so he just walked into our house whenever he felt like it. And that is when Vic saved me, not just by pulling that knife out of my hands, but by loving me...I am truly blessed to have him. All of you out there who have a true love, you are gifted by God. And those of you who do not have someone, the right one is out there somewhere for you, just wait.)


	36. Chapter 36

Annia POV

* * *

She was beautiful.

I had said so goodness knew how many times already, but I could not stop thinking them. The birth had been very short, and Ayiel was so tiny; but she was clearly planning on growing. She had huge eyes-my eyes-and her father's hair, though it had inherited the wave mine had.

"I cannot believe that it came right," I heard someone say with a sigh.

Melith's head came into view. "Thank you, Naneth," he said, holding one finger to the baby's cheek. "But if I'd known how much it hurt, I wouldn't have asked."

In confusion I looked at him. "Asked what, Melith?"

"Before I left I asked you for a sister. I didn't know how much it hurt to have one, though," he said, watching in rapture as Ayiel turned her eyes to him.

"That is another promise I fulfilled too late," I said with a sigh.

"How are you, Mellon-nin?" asked Arwen. I turned to see her smiling in the doorway. I turned toward her as well as I could.

"I'm dead tired, Arwen," I said. Legolas came in behind her. "Why are you back again? I told you to get something to eat!"

He laughed. "Food seems to stick in my throat. The only place I want to be is here."

* * *

Legolas POV

When my father came into the room, I made to get up from my seat beside Annia, who was sleeping, but he motioned that I keep my place.

"It is so strange," he said, musing, "It was only months ago that I saw you as little more than an errant elfling. And now look what you have become."

I laughed. Then I handed Ayiel to him. His eyes widened and he smiled.

"She looks like your sister, this one," he said, looking at the long black lashes lying on alabaster cheeks. "I confess that when I heard, my heart failed me. I thought that the both of them would not live to see the next morning."

"You should have more faith in her," I said. "She has come through so much."


	37. Twenty years later-part 2

Legolas POV

**Twenty Years Later**

* * *

"Ayiel Annion! Come here THIS MINUTE!"

Laughter waved around me. I sighed. My daughter was truly getting the better of me in hide-and seek.

A great deal had transpired in the last twenty years. Melith had decided to stay in Middle Earth soon after Ayiel had been born. He had grown well, and now looked like a fourteen-year-old human boy, being nearly seventy now. Ayiel was still a carefree elfling, shrieking her way through Eryn Lasgalen. Annia and I had taken my father's place upon the throne when he sailed for Valinor, and ten years ago, our third child had been born, a girl, named Estelin. She was nearly as full of tricks as her sister, and never failed to play good ones on any unsuspecting visitors, even though she was only the equivalent of a human two year old.

"Ada's slow as a tree, and he'll never find me!" The cry rang out again.

"Trees do not move!" I said.

"Oh?" came a voice from above. I looked up to see Melith crouching in a tree above me; with him was his dearest and closest friend, whom I was sure would one day be a daughter of our family. Her name was Aramaline, or Ralin for short. She was near in age to Melith, who was five years older. The two were the oldest elflings in Mirkwood.

"Of course trees move, Ralin! I have seen them!" said Melith to Ralin, who was giggling unashamedly.

"That is not it," I heard her whisper. "Look at your ada's hair!"

"What is wrong with it, Ralin?" I asked, amused.

"It seems to be rather green."

I put my hand to my hair and then withdrew it full of leaves.

"Estelin," I said with a shrug.

"Ah," said Ralin. Then she went slightly pink. "Excuse me, my lord."

"That is all right." I said. "You ought to be getting ready for the festivities, you know. If I can manage to track Ayiel down I shall follow."

"We should, Melith," said Ralin, and the two dropped from the tree and ran hand-in-hand toward the palace.

I gave up on my search. Ayiel must have been close, but I could not see her; and at once she dropped from the tree that Melith and Ralin had been hiding. She giggled and threw herself into my arms, soaking me as she did so.

"What have you been doing to get so wet? The last time I saw you, you were perfectly dry."

"I went swimming and berry-picking while you were looking for me," she said. "You're not good at this game, ada."

I shouldered her and we walked the way Melith and Ralin had gone, at peace with the world.

"I have a secret, ada," said Ayiel.

"What is it?"

"Can't. I promised I wouldn't. Naneth would-"

"Oho, so it is Naneth's secret!"

"No, but Naneth always says to keep my promises, so I can't tell you."

"I see."

I was to find out what exactly her secret entailed later that evening, but I little anticipated it.

* * *

Still Legolas POV

When we walked into the feasting hall, I managed to enter unnoticed. It was a yearly competition that Annia and I had; which could enter unseen and surprise the other first. I crept through the crowd, searching, until I saw her with Ayiel and Estelin. I sneaked up behind her, and then yelled,

"Ai! ai! A Balrog has come!"

She jerked around and then began laughing. "You're lucky Glorfindel wasn't around. Every time one of the girls says that to him, I swear his eye brows get a little thinner and higher up his head."

"Where's Melith?" I asked, kissing her forehead and swinging Estelin up into my arms.

"Oh, gone off somewhere," she said. "You know how boys his age are. Well..."

"Oh."

When I got up to go and see where Melith was, I went outside and looked up at the stars. I was sure he must be in the garden somewhere; he loved to sit in a tree by night and star-gaze, like I did.

When I looked up I received the shock of my life.

Ralin and Melith were sitting facing each other in a tree exactly opposite the balcony I stood on. They were talking quietly, but loudly enough so I could hear what they were saying.

"Do you not think we are too young?"

"Well, I know I am not," I heard Melith sigh.

"You do not count. You are seventy, and I'm sixty-five."

"I have loved you ever since I saw you for the first time." I saw Ralin blush violently.

"And I you. I had never seen anyone close to my age-no elf."

"I had never seen another of my age either."

"You looked unhappy and joyful at the same time."

"And you, quite simply, were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."

I felt a smile curving my lips. I went inside and motioned to Annia. "Come out on the balcony," I whispered. "There's something you have to see."

She nodded, and the four of us went to the balcony. Wordlessly I pointed to the tree; and when her eyes found them she gasped.

"Ralin and Melith..."

When the faces of the two came closer and closer, I sighed. Melith was young and old at the same time; but it felt so strange to let him go to love after twenty years of knowing him truly.

By the time their lips had met and they were entwined in each other's arms, Annia was crying as she watched them.

"Why do you cry, meleth nin?" I asked, turning her gently to face me.

She buried her face in my tunic. "He's happy, Legolas," she said softly, her eyes finding the two once more, "Now he is truly happy."

* * *

(A/N: So...should I end the story here or make it go on? PM or review to tell me what you think. Yay for Melith!)


	38. The Second Quest-part 2

Annia POV

I was lying on my bed. Not sleeping, of course; Legolas was breathing quietly on the other side of the bed, and Estelin was curled into a chubby bunch between the two of us.

I climbed out of bed, careful not to wake either of them. This was one of my nights when I could not sleep; the moon seemed too bright, the stars too piercing, every breath of wind the sigh of an age, every rustling leaf made me raise my eyelids. I did not go to the window; instead I opened the door and made my way quietly down the halls. I did not stop until I reached the woods. I had been told often, when I first came to Eryn Lasgalen, not to stray into it alone. But for some reason I could feel that something awaited me in its depths. Something seemed to call my name there, its words finding their way into my very soul. Looking about me for a weapon, I saw a guard who had fallen asleep. I lifted him and carried him inside, drawing his sword noiselessly out of his sheath, stripping every last dagger from him.

There was something out there. This I knew as surely as I knew that the sun would dawn in the morning; the very trees were whispering my name. _Annia, Annia, _and sometimes I heard them call me _Estelin, our daughter, you have changed much over the years. _Their words seemed to be like a song; the wind wafted it willingly, it seemed to reflect from the moon. The hair rose on the back of my neck and arms. _We are waiting for you, Annia. Your time has come. _

Over all the voices I heard, from all the trees in the vicinity, one seemed to stand out. It was that of the woman I had heard so long ago as I lay captive in Isengard, a sword by my hand, and every nerve in my body screaming for me to take it up and plunge it into my heart. _You must accept that you left too much of your soul behind, Annia. You know you are not whole, not even after marrying the one you love, finding the child you lost so long ago, and even after two more came into your life. You are not whole. There is now no tongue of Middle-Earth that you do not speak; you have heard your praises sung, you have been crowned the Queen of Eryn Lasgalen, but you are not whole. In your heart there is a sadness that you cannot rout. You long for the family you left behind, and even more so for the days which will never return-the days before you took your own life._

I froze. This voice never boded well. I turned about me in a wide circle. _Who are you, Voice? Why do I hear you when my heart is troubled? Why is it that only I can hear you in these woods? What are you?_

"It is simple," I heard behind me. I turned to see a woman standing in the shadow of a tree. She was pure white; skin the color of parchment, and hair the same color. Her eyes, however, were a brilliant, piercing blue. Her robes were just as pale as her skin; when she stepped upon the ground the grass did not part below her feet. "I waited for you, Annia. Long years I waited, torn by my grief. I saw your husband fade from grief; I saw your son, under the tutelage of that Melkor, become a being of evil with only a shard of light left within him. And I stayed alive for Melith, Estelin. It was your duty. But you were weak. You did not live up to what you should have done. My first duty in life was to make sure that you did the only thing worth doing; protecting your child. You could not. When at last I knew he could not be saved in that age, or indeed the next, I allowed myself to pass on. But because you had left Middle Earth I could not pass over the sea as I longed to do. I had to remain here, a bodiless fea, calling the name of Estelin throughout this land. It was I who wrote that lay before I was forced to leave my body, and sent it to Aragorn's dreams so long ago, hoping that one day you would hear, and that one day you would return to this land, and save him."

My memories from my first life had not ever truly come back. Now they came in a flood, and I knew without doubt who the woman was who stood before me.

"Mother?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Is it you?"

"Yes, Estelin, it is I," she said, drawing forward out of the shadows. I could see that her eyes were exactly the same color as mine. "Your time has come."

"My time...my time for what?" I asked, fearful. "Mother, where...where are you going to take me?"

"Even the wisest could not tell," she said, and suddenly the white of her skin was replaced by the warm peach tones of flesh. She looked sad. "You have done much, Estelin. You freed this land from a terrible shadow, one you did not have the strength to heal all those years ago. But there was one thing given to you that will have its end one day, Estelin."

I knew what she spoke of. "Living forever is wrong, Mother. It would never have been a fate I chose; only one I endured for the sake of the ones I loved. I know my death will come the moment I am not needed by any on this earth except for Legolas. I can see it. In my home world I would be already nearly an old woman. Eternal life is not the gift that the Eldar believe it to be. Perhaps Men are wiser then, for they take the short span that is given to them, and they live. But the Elves merely exist;I would rather die tomorrow than have that be my fate."

"Then come with me."

"Where are we going?" In that instant I regretted leaving the palace.

"You will see. And this is a journey you must take alone."

I looked at her. "No one may accompany me...I know this."

She nodded and put her hand to my head.

I jerked upright, only to find myself back in my bed.


	39. Untouched by Time-part 2

I had not returned to sleep after that. My heart ached; I could feel it. My limbs felt heavy, my eyes hurt. I got out of bed and moved over to the cupboard and looked for something to help. I ended up downing the contents of nearly all of the remedies in there; half-an-hour later I was the victim of a pounding headache.

"Annia?" Legolas was waking up. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to drown myself," I said with a mirthless laugh, realizing what was happening.

Instantly he was by my side, eyes looking searchingly into mine. "What has happened?" He spotted all the empty bottles on the floor and his eyes widened. "What is the matter with you?"

"My heart aches; my eyes, my head, everything. I feel like there is a stone caught in my throat." I hissed in fury. "Damn the Valar to hell!"

Legolas looked shocked. I was not sure whether it was at my words about what I was feeling or what I had said about the Valar.

"Do you see a light anywhere?" I nodded, placing my hand over my eyes.

"I see it, whether my eyes are open or closed."

Legolas leaned against the wall, and pulled me into his arms. "I ask you again, what happened?" His voice was hard now. I realized that I felt as if sleep was over taking me; I struggled against it. I could feel his heart beating frantically.

"Legolas, I think my time in this world is coming to an end," I said quietly. I told him about the dream and then sighed.

"You cannot leave me," he said. "I know what you are feeling; it is what an elf close to fading feels. You _must _stay with me."

"It feels like your sea-longing must," I breathed, unable to fight sleep any longer. "But remember your promise, Legolas. You have Melith, Ayiel, and Estelin to live for."

He was panicked now, looking at my eyes.

"They are growing duller," he said. "Annia, meleth nin, are not our children enough for you to remain here?"

"There's something that I need to do," I said. My tongue felt thick, my lips refused to move properly. "I think...I think you will see me again. But if not...tell the children that I..." A wave of black washed over the room. "Bring them here."

Legolas ran from the room, back with the children within moments. I saw Melith's face over mine. I stretched out my arms to hug him one last time.

"I love you, Melith, my darling. Be happy; you have so much to live for," I added as his eyes started raining tears onto my cheeks.

"No, Naneth. You can't leave. You can't leave me now," he sobbed.

"I have to go. I think I may be back. I do not know when, or how, but we will meet again someday."

Ayiel had thrown herself onto my chest. It hurt terribly but I did not care.

"Nana, why are you going? I need you. What will I do without you?"

Estelin was merely watching with wide eyes. When I held my arms out to her she let out a despairing cry and buried her head in my nightgown.

"Amin mela ile, Nana," she said.

"And I love you all."

Legolas sat down next to me. He sat with one arm circling my waist, my head on his shoulder.

"And now, we wait," I said, Estelin beginning to feel like a terrible weight in my arms. "And look to the darkness before the dawn..."

And that was when the world went black.

* * *

(A/N: The reason Annia is dying is because she had *unfinished business* on earth to tend to. And no she did not forget to pay her bills or anything. she is not really "Dead" but she is dead in middle-earth.

* * *

Legolas POV

The children had fallen asleep, lulled into slumber by their tears. I remained on the floor with Annia's limp body held in my arms. I remembered how close she had come to death so many times during the war of the Ring, but I knew now that her soul no longer lived within this shape. I felt as if drums were pounding in my ears as I continued to hold her. Her face was wet from my tears; her hand had grown stiff around mine. She did not look dead; the only thing that gave it away was the fact that her eyes were closed in an eternal sleep, and would never open again.

* * *

Legolas POV

Later that morning, I made preparations for Annia's funeral. She was carried from our room into the chamber where we prepared the dead; she was garbed in white, her circlet upon her head, her royal seal by her feet. About her neck I left the two mithril necklaces; the one that Melith had enchanted to open the gap between her old world and this one, and the one I had given her in Lothlorien so long ago.

The last thing that I did was not something that elves generally would do; I laid four other things in the coffin. One was my girdle, which I clasped about her waist; upon her breast I laid a wreath of Mallorn flowers that Ayiel had made. Estelin had filled a crystal phial with her tears; this she hung on a chain around Annia's neck. Melith had shorn his head of hair when he had awoken, the long, fine locks were now twisted around Annia's left wrist.

When the time came to commit her to the flames that would bring her body to Mandos with her soul, I found I could not do it. I could not light the flame upon her body.

So I laid her body in a coffin of glass, and set it in my room beneath the window, where the first thing the dawn's light would fall upon was her face.

And there she remained, untouched by time.


	40. Melith and Ralin

I have no heart to do a disclaimer, because the one I love is not here by my side to do it with me.

* * *

Chapter 40: Melith's Thoughts

* * *

After Annia's death, Legolas fell badly ill. He fell into a deadly fever but recovered eventually, though not before screaming the name of his Queen for hours on end. The children grew thin and pale, and the younger two cried often for their Naneth.

On one morning, a year after the passing of the Queen, Melith had stolen into his parents' room as he did every day. His father was not there, and neither were his two sisters. He climbed onto the coffin and lay facedown on it. He had always wondered how his naneth's body had never decayed; and had been thankful it did not. Lying in such a position hurt his nose a great deal, so he turned his head so his cheek was pressed against the glass, his right eye looking down at his mother's face, which could have been sleeping if her lips had not been stirred by her breath.

"Life without you is unbearable, Nana," he said quietly. "Ada loves us still, but he is not the same man. Whenever he holds a sword or even a knife when we are at a meal together, his fingers often twitch as if he would like nothing more than to plunge it into his heart. I have to leave Eryn Lasgalen, Nana. But where will I go? What will I do?"

Some unbidden instinct told him that the answer lay there, within his mother's coffin. Dare he take it? His hands itched, and at last he relented, sliding back the slender bolt which locket the coffin. When his hands approached Annia's neck, they began to shake violently, dreading the feeling of her once-warm skin cold. When he touched it, however, it was warm; warm as if she were alive, perhaps because of the sunlight which fell on her most of the day. He unclasped the mithril necklace he had given to her and then closed the coffin, leaning his head above the place where his mother's head lay.

_Thank you, Naneth. And I know whom you want to come with me. I love you, my nana, I always have, and I always will. _

Melith stuffed the necklace into his pocket, fleeing the room. His father was in a council meeting, and Estelin and Ayiel were both at their lessons. He quickly slipped out of the palace and ran to a talan about a hundred feet away; this was where Ralin lived. He knew she would be alone, for her parents were both at the meeting. He slipped up the ladder, and then the two greeted each other with a fleeting kiss.

"Something has happened," said Ralin, studying Melith. "You have..."

Melith nodded. "I opened Naneth's coffin."

Ralin gasped, her hand flying to her lips. "Why?"

"I cannot stay in Eryn Lasgalen any longer, Ralin. You know this. I have...I have told you what I was and what I am, and I have not told many. And you loved me. Loved me regardlessly. While I was the apprentice of Melkor, I succeeded in taking an ordinary necklace-Ada and Naneth's bonding necklace-and enchanting it so that it could open the weft between the worlds. I think, because my mother's body remains as it was, that she is not truly dead-I believe she has gone back to the moment when I pulled her from her world to ours, and is now living her old life again. I think I can pull her back, but the Valar have sent her to complete something unfinished. I can't stay here...but..."

"I will. Gladly." In surprise Melith looked at Ralin, hardly daring to believe it. "I do."

"Do you know what you are saying, Ralin? I am going out into the Wild, into a world still dangerous. You would willingly forsake all that and come with me?"

Ralin folded her hands over his, her eyes looking deep into his own. "I would. In a heartbeat. The fact that your mother remains untouched by time is a sign-we are supposed to do this. Even if it leads us to the other world, I would follow you wherever you go."

Melith pressed a hand to her cheek. "I love you, Ralin."

"When do we leave?" she asked.

"Within the week. I will tell no one. You must not tell anyone either."

Ralin nodded, and then closed the space between his lips and hers. "I love you too."

* * *

Legolas had noted something strange in his son lately. He seemed to be in the kitchens a great deal, and off with Ralin nearly all the time he was not studying.

"Melith," he said one day over supper, "Is there anything wrong?"

Melith's eyes flicked upward to meet his father's. "No."

Legolas resigned himself to the fact that his son did not want to talk. After dinner he went to his room and knelt by Annia's coffin, feeling, as he always did, as if he was speaking to her while she was in a light sleep.

"I am sorry for waking you, Meleth-nin," he said softly, "but there is something wrong with our son and I do not know what it is. Please tell me, if you know."

At once he stood up and looked down at Annia. Something was missing. Something was out of place. She looked the same as ever...but what was wrong?

_All will be well, my love. All will be well. Trust me and see._

_I wish her lips could truly speak those words._

* * *

Melith and Ralin planned.

By night they sat up, in Melith's room, making packing lists, hiding their bags under the bed. When at last they were done, it was six days after they had decided to go; and they decided to depart at once.

"What if someone sees us?" Ralin hissed, as they crept toward the stables with their bags slung over their backs. Melith shook his head.

"I have drugged the wine tonight. All drank it; all of Eryn Lasgalen will sleep tonight, and would not hear if you stood in the courtyard and loudly proclaimed yourself to be secretly married to me."

They slunk through the shadows, and when they reached the stables, they quietly led their horses out. When they stood before the gates, flanked by sleeping guards, Ralin looked at Melith, her chin set determinedly.

"This is it," she said.

"It is," agreed Melith.

"Way to go, Captain Obvious," said Ralin with a smile.

"You picked that up from Naneth."

"That is true," said Ralin, sadly. "I learned that from the Queen. But I don't understand what it means, really."

The two silently opened the gates and rode out. As soon as all sight of the city was behind them, they began to talk. Ralin was the first to broach a subject which had been in both their minds, but which neither had wanted to talk about.

"What will happen when your ada finds you are gone?" asked Ralin.

"I do not know. But if I had stayed there, I would have faded from grief-I could feel it. We _know _when we are fading. Now, I have the chance for a life. My own life, not as Melith of Aeron, not as Melkor's apprentice...not as Sauron of Mordor...and not of the Crown Prince of Mirkwood."

"Where will we go?" asked Ralin studying a map as they rode on.

"First, we will go to Gondor, after disguising ourselves well. I know a spell which will make us look like grown ellyn, and we can pose as two young ellyn promised to each other."

"Let us do that now, then," said Ralin.

Melith murmured for some moments, and Ralin felt a change running through her body. At last, when the tingling had faded, Melith handed her a small mirror, and she looked at her face.

"I look older," she commented.

"The spell was meant to make you look like an elleth of a hundred years, just come of age. Now I will do myself." Again he repeated his muttered incantation, and where the two elflings had been, there were a solemn-eyed ellon, tall and broad-shouldered, and a slender elleth with long arms and legs.

The two continued on for hours, and only when dawn had crept over the wood did they lie down side-by-side and sink into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

"Ada!" The cry echoed through the halls of the palace. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa a!"

I jolted awake, grabbing my sword and running down the hall to the room where Ayiel and Estelin slept. I found Estelin there sleeping peacefully, and ran to the next one, Melith's, where I found Ayiel, sobbing on his bed.

"Ayiel?" I said. "Ayiel, where is Melith?"

"He's gone," she said.

My heart stood still.

"Where is he, Ayiel? Where is he?"

"He's not in this world any longer," she croaked. I fell to my knees beside her. Melith, dead, the son whom I had failed to protect long ago, whom I had nearly ruined, who had blessed me by returning. I groaned, a pang goung through my stomach. My Annia, my beautiful wife, gone...and now, after such a short time, my son...

"How did he die?"

Ayiel started up and grabbed my hands. "No, Ada! He is not dead!" She swallowed. "But Naneth's magic necklace has been taken from her body, and Melith's horse is gone."

I left her there and ran to the guards-house, and yelled, "Send out a search party for my son! And Ralin!"


	41. Chapter 41

The sky was grey. Legolas could hear the cry of the gulls and an unfamiliar pang wrenched at his heartstrings.

The sea-calling.

He looked around. The water itself was just out of sight. Sand stretched before him, pure and silver, and something seemed to be drawing him forward. He resolutely turned away and began walking in the opposite direction; it was not his time yet. He saw Ayiel, who seemed worn beyond measure. Her golden hair fluttered in the wind, and her eyes looked dead, without hope, without will. But where was Melith and where was Estelin? Where was Annia? Where was Ralin?

"It is so hard to believe that they are all gone," said Ayiel softly. "That we should be the last of our house."

"It is the curse of our long years," he said bitterly. "When Ralin was killed Melith could no longer bear his life; and when your naneth passed on I lost my will to live, as well."

"Did you not promise Naneth that you would not fade?"

"It is a promise that I wish I never made," he said.

* * *

Annia POV

Where was I?

I stood up shakily.

I was in my shower at hoome. Looking down at myself I realized I was wearing the same robe that I had been wearing when I had entered Middle-Earth twenty years before. Staggering out, I went back to my room, dressed, and then lay down on my bed. This existence seemed so surreal to me; what was the date? The time? I saw my cell phone lying on my dressing-table, and wondered if it was the same day. I flipped it open.

JUNE 29 2013

10 : 13 A. M.

_I hate you mother, I really, really do. _


	42. Finished!

SO! BOOK ONE FINISHED! THE SECOND BOOK WILL BE CALLED "The Song of Estelin" and will be up soon. Arrividerci! See you there! This book is complete.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL MY REVIEWERS. I LOVE YOU ALL.

COOKIES!


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